Thousands of people filled the streets of central London to protest against the government’s proposed digital ID system.
The march, held under tight police supervision, began at Marble Arch and moved towards Whitehall on Saturday afternoon.
The demonstration followed the Prime Minister’s September announcement that a mandatory digital ID scheme would be introduced in 2029 for all workers in the UK, aiming to tackle illegal immigration.
Former Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen, expelled from the party in 2023 after comparing Covid-19 vaccines to the Holocaust, led the protest. The event was organised by the group Mass Non-Compliance, which warned online that accepting digital ID could be a dangerous surrender of freedom.
The Metropolitan Police instructed participants to stay on their designated route and keep to the left side of the road.
Plans for digital IDs have sparked significant backlash across the political spectrum. Conservative former minister Sir David Davis, who opposed ID cards under Tony Blair’s Labour government, said the proposals threaten citizens’ privacy and civil liberties.
He stated, “While digital IDs and ID cards sound like modern and efficient solutions to problems like illegal immigration, such claims are misleading at best. The systems involved are profoundly dangerous to the privacy and fundamental freedoms of the British people.”
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the idea a “gimmick that will do nothing to stop the boats,” while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage declared he was “firmly opposed.”
The Liberal Democrats also criticised the proposal, saying they would not back any system that forces citizens to share personal data simply to go about their daily lives.
