“We Got Here First”: London Immigrants Demonstrate Against Latest Newcomers

LONDON — Thousands of established immigrants gathered in Trafalgar Square on Saturday to protest the arrival of recent newcomers to the capital, carrying signs reading “Queue Properly” and “We Waited Our Turn.”

The demonstration, organized by the Coalition of Earlier Arrivals, drew participants from communities that settled in London between 2010 and 2020. Protesters marched from Parliament Square to Downing Street, chanting “First come, first served” and “Respect the immigration timeline.”

Rajesh Patel, who arrived from Mumbai in 2015, led the crowd with a megaphone. “We followed all the proper procedures,” Patel declared. “These new people skip the cultural adjustment period we endured.”

The march specifically targeted immigrants who arrived within the past two years. Maria Gonzalez, originally from Barcelona and now a British citizen, held a sign stating “Learn the Tube Map First.”