Thousands have taken to the streets of London in a counter-protest against supporters of notorious far-right Islamophobic activist Tommy Robinson, who are calling for his release.

Thousands of anti-racism protesters held a rally in the city of London, slamming a rise in Islamophobia in the UK, while, concurrently, supporters of far-right activist Tommy Robinson were holding a separate rally.

The Islamophobic riots that swept across England and the north of Ireland at the end of July and the beginning of August shocked the world.

The UK riots appear to have stopped, however, questions are being asked about their root cause, which has been ascribed to far-right politicians.

Britain is facing a national crisis in the face of the worst rioting in 13 years. The violence was sparked by the fatal stabbing of three young girls in Southport last week and stoked by misinformation on social media.

An Italian parliamentary press conference regarding the Gaza massacre and the dire humanitarian situation there and in the West Bank was called off following Israeli pressure on the Italian far-right ruling party, Brothers of Italy.

The new European Parliament is scheduled to hold its first session next week and its composition is poised to create major headaches for the political establishment.