Eyewitness: remember, remember the 5th of November

On a traditionally busy day for policing public order, Chris Hobbs finds one or two obscure protest groups requiring an AI search.

It was perhaps inevitable that the symbolic date of November 5th would attract some form of protest in the central London area. In past years, a group called ‘Anonymous’ made famous by their Guy Fawkes masks emanating from the film ‘V’ for Vendetta, called youths to take to the streets. In London hundreds of these youths would throw fireworks at police and even managed to fire rockets from outside Buckingham Palace which struck the building.

More recently, during the Covid pandemic, several thousand Covid sceptics assembled in Parliament Square and were involved in disorder with police which involved fireworks being thrown at officers.

In 2025, the main focus was on a protest that was clearly aimed at Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Chants of ‘we want Starmer out’ and ‘Keir Starmer’s a wanker’ could be heard across Parliament Square and those responsible consisted of a crowd of around 300 complete with Union and Cross of St. George flags clustered around Parliament’s main gates.

A sound system enabled speeches to be made; those speeches predictably criticised government action or inaction in respect of illicit migrants arriving by boat and that which those protesting perceive as consequences, primarily the risk to children from predators.

Several carriers of TSG officers could be seen parked around Parliament Square and officers from one carrier were deployed to the crowd but their efforts were confined to ensuring that those participating in the protest did not stray into the road. There was, however, no opposition to the gathering in the form of anti-racist groups.

The protest began at 11am and was timed to coincide with Prime Minister’s question time. Just before midday a convoy of three unmarked vehicles using ‘blues and two’s’ sped past the crowd which booed and jeered believing that this contained the Prime Minister on his way to question time. In fact, with Keir Starmer out of the country, the convoy was probably transporting his deputy, David Lammy.

The AMOC protest

The protest was concluded by 1PM but, interestingly, other events were ongoing including by a small group dressed in black T-shirts showing the letters ‘AMOC.’ It would seem that the “AMOC protest group” is not a formal, standalone organisation with that name; rather, according to research via Ai, “AMOC refers to the scientific concept of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, and protests using this term are climate activist actions aimed at raising awareness about the potential collapse and catastrophic impacts of this ocean current system.”

Whatever their cause, they were extremely well behaved and, after watching the above-mentioned protest, crossed the road to pose for photographs outside Parliament.

“Assist us to live.”

As the anti-Starmer protesters were beginning to disperse, two individuals in motorised wheelchairs were seen in Parliament Square and drew the sympathetic attention of citizen journalists due the fact that they were clearly severely disabled. They also held placards that made it clear that they were opposed to ‘assisted dying,’

‘Assist us to live’ was their spoken request to those who were close-by and they joined a group who were close to the Churchill statue which included others with visible disabilities. It would appear that they were gathering for a film which is to highlight their plight and their cause.

Posey Parker appears

Also, in Parliament Square at the far-end where the Millicent Garrett Fawcett statue is situated, there was another small gathering, this time of women. A brief conversation confirmed that they would also have been participants in Saturday’s women’s 199/women’s spaces protest which was opposed by ‘trans’ groups.

This gathering attracted some support from the anti-Starmer protest including several ‘pink ladies’ and it soon became clear that the main feature of this assembly was the presence of the leading ‘women’s spaces’ advocate; Posey Parker, who has acquired a reputation which stretches well beyond the UK. She advocates the cause under the banner of ‘Let Women Speak’ and is loathed by activist trans groups to the extent that there is believed to be a very real risk in respect of her safety.

On this occasion there was no leftist/trans opposition and the event proceeded with speeches from the main attraction and others drawn from the audience. Police were clearly unaware that this event was to take place and, once informed, police liaison officers kept an eye on proceedings.

At the time of writing, (Guy Fawkes night) it isn’t known whether any evening ‘Guy Fawkes’ protests will occur on what traditionally is one of the busiest nights of the year for British policing. West Midlands police, in addition to dealing with Guy Fawkes linked disorder, will also have been putting the finishing touches to their large policing operation which will take place this evening (Thursday) when Aston Villa play their controversial encounter with Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv; protests and counter-protests are anticipated.

Chris Hobbs is a former Special Branch officer who follows public order events as an observer for Police Oracle.