London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Feb 20, 2026

Afghanistan: Thousands of protesters descend on central London

Afghanistan: Thousands of protesters descend on central London

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of central London in solidarity with the people of Afghanistan on Saturday.

Signs which read “Stop the oppression of Afghan women”, “Afghanistan is bleeding” and “US & Nato failed” were held high as people marched through the capital in protest over the weekend.

Afghanistan flags were waved while others wore the country’s colours green, red and black at the demonstration.

Afghanistan flags were waved while others wore the country’s colours green, red and black at the demonstration


Crowds gathered at Parliament Square, Oxford Circus and Hyde Park as thousands showed their support to the ongoing Afghanistan crisis.

The Taliban have taken over Kabul after Afghan President Ashraf Ghani fled the Presidential Palace and sought safety in United Arab Emirates with his family.

Ghani spoke from exile to say he left to avoid bloodshed and denied reports he had escaped with heaps of money on his person.

Kabul airport has descended into chaos as many have scrambled to try and escape the Taliban.

Afghans were crushed to death as they tried to flee the country, SkyNews reported over the weekend.

It comes after Afghans were seen clinging to planes in a desperate attempt to escape.

Specially deployed US troops have been in control of the airport while evacuations are being made.

On Friday, Boris Johnson reassured everyone the UK government were working around the clock to assist with the Afghanistan crisis.

Crowds gathered at Parliament Square, Oxford Circus and Hyde Park

“I can tell you that the whole of the government has been working virtually around the clock hitting the phones to do what we can.” He told the cameras.

“I’m not going to pretend to you that it’s easy. As you can imagine, challenges are formidable.”

The Prime Minister also defended the Foreign Secretary amid the criticism building around Raab enjoying a summer holiday in Greece at the same time the Taliban took over Afghanistan.

He said he “absolutely” had confidence in Raab when Mr Johnson was grilled by broadcasters about the situation in Afghanistan.

It comes amid reports the minister for Afghanistan Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon was on a staycation in the UK.

Elsewhere, US president Joe Biden vowed to bring home the Americans trapped in Afghanistan.

“We will get you home,” he said.

The US president said he wants to withdraw American troops by August 31 but he will continue to evacuate until he has brought home all the American citizens.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
King Charles III Opens London Fashion Week as Royal Family Faces Fresh Scrutiny
Trump’s Evolving Stance on UK Chagos Islands Deal Draws Renewed Scrutiny
House Democrat Says Former UK Ambassador Unable to Testify in Congressional Epstein Inquiry
No Record of Prince Andrew Arrest in UK as Claims Circulate Online
UK Has Not Granted US Approval to Launch Iran Strikes from RAF Bases, Government Confirms
AI Pricing Pressure Mounts as Chinese Models Undercut US Rivals and Margin Risks Grow
Global Counsel, Advisory Firm Co-Founded by Lord Mandelson, Enters Administration After Client Exodus
London High Court dispute over Ricardo Salinas’s $400mn Elektra share-backed bitcoin loan
UK Intensifies Efforts to Secure Saudi Investment in Next-Generation Fighter Jet Programme
Former Student Files Civil Claim Against UK Authorities After Rape Charges Against Peers Are Dropped
Archer Aviation Chooses Bristol for New UK Engineering Hub to Drive Electric Air Taxi Expansion
UK Sees Surge in Medical Device Testing as Government Pushes Global Competitiveness
UK Competition Watchdog Flags Concerns Over Proposed Getty Images–Shutterstock Merger
Trump Reasserts Opposition to UK Chagos Islands Proposal, Urges Stronger Strategic Alignment
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis advocates for a ban on minors using social media.
Liberal Senator Michaelia Cash Accuses Prime Minister of Lying to Australians
Meanwhile in Time Square, NYC One of the most famous landmarks
Jensen Huang just told the story of how Elon Musk became NVIDIA’s very first customer for their powerful AI supercomputer
A Lunar New Year event in Taiwan briefly came to a halt after a temple official standing beside President Lai Ching‑te suddenly vomited, splashing Lai’s clothing
Jillian Michaels reveals Bill Gates’ $55 million investment in mRNA vaccines turned into over $1 billion.
Ex-Prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrested
Former British Prince Andrew Arrested on Suspicion of Misconduct in Public Office
Four Chagos Islanders Establish Permanent Settlement on Atoll
Unitree Robotics founder Wang Xingxing showcases future robot deployment during Spring Festival Gala.
UK Inflation Slows Sharply in January, Strengthening Case for Bank of England Rate Cut
Hide the truth, fake the facts, pretend the opposite, Britain is as usual
France President Macron says Free Speech is Bull Sh!t
Viktor Orbán getting massive praise for keeping Hungary safe, rich and migrant-free!
UK Inflation Falls to Ten-Month Low, Markets Anticipate Interest Rate Cut
UK House Prices Climb 2.4% in December as Market Shows Signs of Stabilisation
BAE Systems Predicts Sustained Expansion as Defence Orders Reach Record High
Pro-Palestine Activists Cleared of Burglary Charges Over Break-In at UK Israeli Arms Facility
Former Reform UK Councillors Form New Local Group Amid Party Fragmentation
Reform UK Pledges to Retain Britain’s Budget Watchdog as It Seeks Broader Economic Credibility
Miliband Defends UK-California Clean Energy Pact After Sharp Criticism by Trump
University of Kentucky to Host 2026 Summer Camps Fair Connecting Families with Local Programmes
UK Police Forces Assess Claims Jeffrey Epstein Used Stansted Airport Flights in Trafficking Network
UK-Focused Equity ETF FLGB Climbs to Fresh 52-Week Peak on Strong Market Sentiment
Trump Warns UK’s Chagos Islands Agreement Is a “Big Mistake” Amid Strategic Security Debate
Trump Urges UK to Retain Sovereignty Over Diego Garcia Amid Strategic Concerns
Italian Police Arrest Man After Alleged Attempt to Abduct Toddler at Bergamo Supermarket, Child Hospitalised With Fractured Femur
Rupert Lowe wanted to deport rape gangs and the communities who protected them
Reform UK Appoints Former Conservative Minister Robert Jenrick as Finance Chief
UK Unemployment Rises to Highest in Nearly Five Years as Labour Market Weakens
Rupert Lowe Advocates for English-Only Use in the UK
US Successfully Transports Small Nuclear Reactor from California to Utah
South Korea's traditional sand wrestling sport ssireum faces declining interest at home
Japan outlawed Islam
Virginia Giuffre accuses Epstein of trafficking to powerful men for blackmail.
New Mexico lawmakers initiate investigation into Zorro Ranch linked to Jeffrey Epstein
×