Watch: Men burst through police lines on St George's Day as 'far-right' groups gather in Whitehall

Police were involved in violent exchanges with men wrapped in flags on St George’s Day in central London.

The Met Police deployed officers to Whitehall on Tuesday (April 23), supported by British Transport Police and City of London Police, to an event in Richmond Terrace, off Whitehall, saying: “We believe those planning to attend include far-right groups and groups linked to football clubs travelling from elsewhere in the UK.”

At shortly after 2pm, police posted a video on X showing groups of men bursting through police lines.

The force said the event was not due to start for another hour but that officers were “”already dealing with disorder”.

It wrote: “There is an area allocated for this event in Richmond Terrace. This group went past it and continued up Whitehall.

“When officers formed a cordon and asked the group to turn round, they reacted by violently forcing their way through. Mounted officers intervened with horses to restore the cordon.”

Join our new WhatsApp Community to get the latest news from across London directly to your phone

The Met earlier posted on X: “Later today, an event to mark St George’s Day is expected to take place on Richmond Terrace, off Whitehall. We believe those planning to attend include far-right groups and groups linked to football clubs travelling from elsewhere in the UK.

“Additional policing resources, including public order officers, will be deployed in the area to deal with any incidents. They are supported by colleagues from the British Transport Police and the City of London Police. The officers’ primary role is to ensure the safety of participants and the public, but they will not hesitate to respond in the event of disorderly behaviour or other offences.”

The Met has confirmed that six people were arrested during the incidents.