Large groups of protestors made their way through the town today
16:13, 26 Oct 2025
The Unite the Kingdom march makes its way through Southport today(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Hundreds of people took to the streets of Southport this afternoon in protest against issues including illegal immigration and the introduction of digital ID. The group of protestors took to the streets brandishing Union flags and home-made signs – including one declaring “deport illegal migrants.’
Protestors gathered on Marine Drive before they marched past Ocean Plaza and over Marine Way Bridge before being met by dozens of counter-protestors who chanted: “Nazi scum, off our streets,” outside amusement arcade Funland. Escorted and separated by Merseyside Police officers, it was at this point that members of the counter-demonstration appeared to clash with police officers while members of the original march filmed them.
The scuffle continued while the march made its way past Funland, with police appearing to remain in control of the situation.
Chants of “Keir Starmer is a w****r” and “Whose streets? Our streets filled the air as the marchers eventually made their way onto Nevill Street before taking up one side of Lord Street and gathering outside Southport Town Hall and The Atkinson building.
Police followed and surrounded the group of around 200 people before a counter-demonstration appeared outside the Scarisbrick Hotel on the opposite side of the main road.
Hundreds marched through Southport in the rain(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Police surrounded both groups of protestors, with around eight riot vans in attendance. However, it was here where they remained as the rain poured down.
The ECHO watched as one man was taken away by police, with the force introducing a Section 60 Order which covered the area of Marine Drive, Victoria Way, Duke Street, Shakespeare Street, St James Street, Scarisbrick Road, Ash Street, Forest Road, Ivy Street, Tithebarn Road, Norwood Avenue, Roe Lane, Leyland Road, Promenade and Fairways.
The Order, under S60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, gives officers enhanced stop and search powers to stop individuals in the area, stop and search vehicles and seize any dangerous items or items used to conceal a person’s identity.
Both sides stood in the rain, chanting at one another, with them both seemingly agreeing over discontent for the current Labour government as they aimed chants at Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Protestors from either side gathered outside the Scarisbrick Hotel(Image: Liverpool Echo)
The protest and counter-protest petered out as numbers began to dwindle at around 2.30pm.
Before today’s protest, both Merseyside Police and Sefton Council said they had been made aware of the planned demonstration in the town, with the authorities working behind the scenes to ensure it remained peaceful.
The scenes in Southport today came following weeks of advertisements for a peaceful protest appearing on social media. Posters and stickers had also been put up across the town.
One poster which appeared in the town said: “We march at 1pm through Southport town UTK… no face covering. Everyone welcome, bring your family, bring your flags. Let’s bring our country together. See you there, get Starmer out.”
A large police presence has been visible in the town throughout the day(Image: Liverpool Echo)
The march had been dubbed the “Southport freedom march”, with UTK referencing Unite the Kingdom – a far-right protest organised by Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, in London last month.
Among the flags and signs visible today was a St George’s flag with “Unite the Kingdom” across it. One banner also depicted an AI generated British bulldog with a union flag imposed on top of it.
One woman at the march told the ECHO: “I’m just patriotic, I don’t want any trouble at all. I’m just glad we’re all here today.”
