List of protests in the United Kingdom facts for kids
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Protesting against George W. Bush in 2008
This is a list of protests and protest movements in the United Kingdom. Protest in the UK has concerned issues such as suffrage in the 19th and early 20th centuries, parliamentary reform from the Chartists to the present day, poverty, wages and working conditions, fuel prices, war, human rights, immigration (both for and against), fathers' rights, LGBTQ rights and climate change. In Northern Ireland, protest marches have been particularly contentious, including Bloody Sunday.
Around April 2019 London's Metropolitan Police decided, as a matter of policy, to stop providing crowd estimates unless there were specific reasons to do so (criminal justice, national security). This policy appears to have been reversed in late 2023, with the media reporting official police estimates for crowds from October that year, as shown in the table.
Contents
By size
| No. | Date | Protest | Cause | Organisers | Location | Attendance | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Organisers' estimate | Police estimate | Third-party estimates | ||||||
| 1 | 15 February 2003 | Stop the War | Iraq War | Stop the War Coalition (StWC) | London | 1,500,000 | 750,000 | "around a million" |
| 2 | 23 March 2019 | Put it to the People march | Second EU referendum | People's Vote, European Movement UK, Open Britain | London | 1,000,000 | 312,000 to 400,000 | |
| 3 | 19 October 2019 | Let Us Be Heard | Second EU referendum | People's Vote, European Movement UK, Open Britain | London | 1,000,000 | 105,000 to 216,000 | |
| 4 | 11 November 2023 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) | London | 800,000 | 300,000 | |
| 5 | 20 October 2018 | People's Vote march | Second EU referendum | People's Vote, European Movement UK, Open Britain | London | 700,000 | 450,000 | |
| 6 | 26 March 2011 | March for the Alternative | Austerity | Trade Union Congress (TUC) | London | 500,000 | 250,000 (more than) | |
| 7 | 28 October 2023 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 500,000 | 50,000 to 70,000 | |
| 8 | 13 January 2024 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 500,000 (more than) | ||
| 9 | 22 March 2003 | Stop the War | Iraq War | Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) | London | 500,000 (StWC), 200,000-300,000 (CND) | 200,000 | |
| 10 | 23 September 2002 | Liberty & Livelihood | Hunting and countryside causes | Countryside Alliance | London | 407,791 | 400,000 | |
| 11 | 22 October 1983 | CND march for peace | Nuclear weapons | Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament | London | 400,000 | 200,000 | |
| 12 | 24 September 2002 | Stop the War | Iraq War | Stop the War Coalition, Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) | London | 400,000 | 150,000 | |
| 13 | 9 March 2024 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 400,000 | "tens of thousands" | |
| 14 | 21 October 2023 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 300,000 | 100,000 | |
| 15 | 25 November 2023 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 300,000 | 45,000 | |
| 16 | 17 February 2024 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 250,000 | 30,000 | |
| 17 | 24 October 1981 | CND march for peace | Nuclear weapons | Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament | London | 250,000 | ||
| 18 | 2 July 2005 | Make Poverty History | Raise awareness of global poverty | Various, coordinated by British Overseas NGOs for Development (bond) | Edinburgh | 225,000 | 225,000 | 225,000 |
| 19 | 13 July 2018 | Stop Trump | Trump's visit to the UK | Various | London | 250,000 | ||
| 20 | 23 November 1985 | Ulster Says No | Anglo-Irish Agreement | Democratic Unionist Party, Ulster Unionist Party | Belfast | 203,000 | 100,000 | |
| 21 | 18 November 2003 | George W. Bush's state visit to the UK | George W. Bush's Foreign Policy (Bush Doctrine) | Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament,Muslim Association of Britain | London | 200,000 | 100,000 | |
| 22 | 3 February 2024 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 200,000 (CND) | 20,000 | |
| 23 | 30 March 2024 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 200,000 | ||
| 24 | 31 March 1990 | 1990 Poll tax protest | Poll tax | All Britain Anti-Poll Tax Federation | London | 200,000 | ||
| 25 | 16 May 1832 | Meeting of the Unions | Suffrage | Birmingham Political Union | Birmingham | 200,000 | ||
| 26 | 22 May 2021 | PSC March for Palestine | 2021 Israel–Palestine crisis | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 180,000 | ||
| 27 | 14 October 2023 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 150,000 | ||
| 28 | 26 March 2022 | UK with Ukraine | Russian invasion of Ukraine | European Movement UK, Mayor of London | London | 150,000 | ||
| 29 | 1 April 1961 | Aldermaston march | Nuclear weapons | Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament | London to Berkshire | 150,000 | ||
| 30 | 4 October 1936 | Battle of Cable Street | Anti-fascist response to the British Union of Fascists march. | Various anti-fascist groups:
Communists (Communist Party of Great Britain),Socialists, Trade unionists, Anarchists, British Jews, Independent Labour Party |
London | 100,000-310,000 | ||
| 31 | 31 January 2009 | 2009 BTF protest | Tamil rights | British Tamils Forum | London | 100,000 | 50,000 | |
| 32 | 26 November 2023 | March Against Antisemitism | Rise in antisemitism | Campaign Against Antisemitism | London | 100,000 | 50,000 | |
| 33 | 9 December 2023 | PSC March for Palestine | 2023 Israel–Hamas war | Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 100,000 | 40,000 | |
| 34 | 17 March 1968 | Grosvenor Square peace march | Vietnam War | Vietnam Solidarity Campaign | London | 100,000 | 20,000 | 10,000 |
| 35 | 18 November 2001 | Stop the war | Afghanistan War | Stop the War Coalition | London | 100,000 | 15,000 | |
| 36 | 6 November 2021 | COP26 Nature Day march & rally | Climate change | COP26 Coalition | Glasgow | 100,000 | ||
| 37 | 19 September 2019 | September 2019 Youth Climate Strikes | Climate change | UK Student Climate Network | London | 100,000 | ||
| 38 | 23 June 2018 | People's Vote March | Second EU referendum | People's Vote, European Movement UK, Open Britain | London | 100,000 | ||
| 39 | 18 March 2006 | Stop British involvement in the Iraq War | Iraq War | Stop the War Coalition, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament,Muslim Association of Britain | London | 80,000-100,000 | 15,000 | |
| 40 | 15 February 2003 | Stop the War | Iraq War | Stop the War Coalition | Glasgow | 80,000 (more than) | 30,000 | 100,000 |
| 41 | 4 June 2019 | Stop Trump | Trump's State Visit to the UK | Stop Trump coalition | London | 75,000 | ||
| 42 | 28 March 1959 | Aldermaston march | Nuclear weapons | Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament | London to Berkshire | 60,000 | ||
| 43 | 16 August 1819 | Gathering at Peterloo (leads to the Peterloo Massacre) | Reform parliamentary representation | Manchester Patriotic Union | Manchester | 60,000 | ||
| 44 | 10 November 2010 | Fund Our Future: Stop Education Cuts | Education cuts | National Union of Students | London | 52,000 | ||
| 45 | 10 January 2009 | Ceasefire in Gaza | 2008-09 Gaza war | Stop the War Coalition, British Muslim Initiative, Palestine Solidarity Campaign | London | 20,000 | 50,000 | |
| 46 | 28 March 2009 | March for Jobs, Justice & Climate | G20 | Put People First | London | 35,000 | 35,000 | |
| 47 | 28 February 2020 | Climate Strike | Climate Change | Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate | Bristol | 30,000 | 15,000 | |
By cause
Suffrage and democracy
- Chartists
- Suffragettes
- Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom
- Peterloo Massacre
- Reform League
Poverty
- 1920 blind march
- Merthyr Rising 1831
- Hunger marches, National Hunger March, 1932
- Jarrow March
- Make Poverty History
Labour disputes
- See Category:Labour disputes in the United Kingdom
- 1842 General Strike
- Welsh coal strike of 1898
- Tonypandy Riot
- British police strikes in 1918 and 1919
- Battle of George Square
- 1926 United Kingdom general strike
- Invergordon Mutiny
- Three-Day Week
- Grunwick dispute
- Winter of Discontent
- UK miners' strike (1984–1985)
- Battle of Orgreave
- Wapping dispute
- Liverpool dockers' strike (1995–98)
- 2002-2003 UK firefighter dispute
- Gate Gourmet#Disputes and strike action.
- 2009 Lindsey Oil Refinery strikes
Rights
- 1994 Criminal Justice Bill protests
- Fathers 4 Justice
- Gay Liberation Front
- OutRage!
- Feminist history in the United Kingdom
- 1990 Strangeways Prison riot
- Gurkha Justice Campaign
- 2010 UK student protests
- George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom
- COVID-19 anti-lockdown protests in the United Kingdom
- "Kill the Bill"
Race and immigration
- See also Category:Race riots in the United Kingdom
- Battle of Cable Street
- Bristol Bus Boycott, 1963
- Battle of Lewisham
- Anti-Nazi League
- Rock Against Racism
- Unite Against Fascism
- Anti-Fascist Action
- Blair Peach
- Kevin Gately
- George Floyd protests in the United Kingdom
Taxation
- Poll Tax Riots
- UK fuel protests
- Rebecca Riots
- Poplar Rates Rebellion
- UK Uncut
Environment
- Campaign against Climate Change
- Road protest in the United Kingdom
- List of road protests in the UK and Ireland
- Twyford Down
- Newbury bypass
- Camp for Climate Action
- Reclaim The Streets
- Swampy
- Plane Stupid
- Stop Esso campaign
- Frack Off
- Extinction Rebellion
- Insulate Britain
- Just Stop Oil
- Bristol Youth Strike 4 Climate
- Extinction Rebellion Youth
Animal rights
- Hunt sabotage
- Countryside Alliance's Liberty & Livelihood March in September 2002, with 400,000 marchers.
- 2004 invasion of Parliament by pro-hunting protesters
- Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty
- Pro-Test
War
Main page: Peace movement#United Kingdom
- Anti-Vietnam War Grosvenor Square riot
- Protests of 1968
- Conscientious objectors
- Stop the War Coalition
- Brian Haw
- Protest against the Iraq War in London, 15 February 2003
- Protests against the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)
Nuclear
- Committee of 100 (United Kingdom)
- Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
- Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp
- Faslane Peace Camp
Religion
- Islamist demonstration outside Danish Embassy in London in 2006
- Jenny Geddes
- Prayer Book Rebellion
- Pilgrimage of Grace
- Protests against Jerry Springer: The Opera
Art and culture
- Stuckist demonstrations
- State Britain
- British protest songs
- Mark McGowan
- K Foundation
Foreign policy
- Israel lobby in the United Kingdom
- 2009 Tamil diaspora protests
- 2008 Olympic torch relay protests
- 2008 Pro-Tibetan protests
- 2008-2009 Gaza War protests
- Global Day of Action for Burma
- 2023 Gaza War protests
Anti-capitalist/anti-globalisation
- 2009 G-20 London summit protests
- Carnival Against Capitalism
- 2005 G8 protests in Gleneagles
- Stop the City
- May Day protests since 2000
- Occupy movement in the United Kingdom
Troubles in Northern Ireland
Main page: The Troubles
- Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association
- 1969 Northern Ireland Riots
- Battle of the Bogside
- Parades in Northern Ireland
- Drumcree conflict
- Bloody Sunday
- Blanket protest
- Dirty protest
- 1981 Irish hunger strike
- Ulster Says No
Other
- Bedroom Tax protests (2013-?)
- Red Clydeside
- Luddites
- Swing Riots
- Radical War
- Tolpuddle Martyrs
- Temperance movement
- Skeleton Army
- "Put It To The People" anti-Brexit march (2019)
See also
- Civil liberties in the United Kingdom
- History of radicalism in the United Kingdom
- Lobbying in the United Kingdom
- Category:Political advocacy groups in the United Kingdom
- Speakers' Corner
- Category:Riots and civil disorder in the United Kingdom
- Renouncing a British honour
- Student activism in the UK
- Category:Rebellions in the United Kingdom and Ireland
- Category:British activists
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List of protests in the United Kingdom Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.