In London, Bristol, Oxford, Liverpool and Birmingham, large, peaceful crowds gathered outside agencies and law firms specialising in immigration, which internet groups had listed as possible targets of far-right activity, according to Euronews.

In London, Bristol, Oxford, Liverpool and Birmingham, large, peaceful crowds gathered outside agencies and law firms specialising in immigration, which internet groups had listed as possible targets of far-right activity.

It was a vast change from the chaos that has erupted on streets throughout England and Belfast, Northern Ireland, since 30 July.

The head of London’s Metropolitan Police Service said earlier Wednesday that officers were focused on protecting immigration lawyers and services. In addition to thousands of officers already deployed, about 1,300 specialist forces were on standby in case of serious trouble in London.

“We’ll protect those people,” Commissioner Mark Rowley said. “It is completely unacceptable, regardless of your political views, to intimidate any sector of lawful activity, and we will not let the immigration asylum system be intimidated.”

A crowd of immigrant supporters quickly grew to several hundred in the London neighbourhood of North Finchley, finding themselves largely alone with several dozen police officers.

The crowd chanted, “Refugees welcome” and “London against racism”. Some held signs saying, “Stop the far right”, “Migration is not a crime” and “Finchley against Fascism”.