London police braced for their busiest day in years on Saturday, when tens of thousands of protesters were expected to attend two major demonstrations — the latest rally staged by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, and an anti-Israel Nakba Day demonstration.

The British capital’s Metropolitan Police said it would deploy 4,000 officers — alongside horses, dogs, drones and helicopters — to manage the two protests, as well as soccer’s FA Cup final.

The Met has imposed various conditions on the two rallies, over their routes and timings, in a bid to keep rival attendees apart.

The force, which estimates the operation will cost £4.5 million ($6 million), warned in a statement that it would adopt “a zero-tolerance approach.”

That includes for the first time making organizers legally responsible for ensuring invited speakers do not break hate speech laws. Additionally, the Met said live facial recognition would be used for the first time to police a protest.

On the eve of the demonstrations, Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned: “Anyone who sets out to wreak havoc on our streets, to intimidate or threaten anyone… can expect to face the full force of the law.”

Starmer — facing intense pressure within his ruling Labour party to quit after hard-right Reform UK and nationalist parties scored wins in local elections last week — accused the organizers of Saturday’s far-right rally of “peddling hatred and division.”

“Their goal is to convince people that Britain’s problems are caused by those living alongside them,” he........

© The Times of Israel