This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46495595
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 3 | Version 4 |
---|---|
Rival marches ahead of Brexit vote | Rival marches ahead of Brexit vote |
(35 minutes later) | |
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in London to march in a UKIP-organised rally and a counter-protest march. | |
A UKIP spokesman said "quite a few thousand" supporters turned up to their "Brexit Betrayal" march alongside controversial activist Tommy Robinson. | |
Marching in opposition were anti-fascist groups and Labour-backed campaigners. | |
A spokeswoman said 15,000 turned up to oppose Mr Robinson's rally. | |
Laura Parker of Labour grassroots group Momentum claimed their counter-demonstration "vastly" outnumbered UKIP's "nearly five to one". | |
She said: "Even with the UKIP machine in tow, he [Robinson] only managed to bring a few thousand supporters out on the streets while we mobilised nearly 15,000 to march against his racism and bigotry." | |
Police have not provided an estimate of crowd sizes. | |
At the scene | |
By Richard Galpin | |
Despite fears there could be clashes between the pro and anti-Brexiteers today, the marches which streamed through the streets of central London passed off peacefully. | |
Thousands of people took part on both sides of the divide, making their feelings known ahead of the key vote in parliament due to take place on Tuesday. | |
Those marching under the UKIP banner called for Theresa May's Brexit deal to be dumped. | |
One demonstrator carried an effigy of the prime minister describing her as a traitor, while another held a model scaffold and hangman's noose. | |
Later in a rally close to parliament and Downing Street, the UKIP leader Gerrard Batten said it had been an achievement to get the far-right activist Tommy Robinson involved in the demonstration. | |
Mr Robinson who denies claims he is a racist and fascist, joined the front of the march saying it was "a beautiful day." | |
Scotland Yard imposed restrictions on both marches and urged people to protest peacefully. | |
Mr Robinson and his supporters gathered outside the Houses of Parliament where they were addressed by UKIP leader Gerard Batten. | |
The former English Defence League leader was recently appointed as an adviser to Mr Batten, prompting a number of people to resign from the party, including former leader Nigel Farage, | |
Mr Batten told the crowd: "If Parliament does not take Britain out of the European Union it will be the biggest constitutional crisis since the English Civil War. | |
"In 1642 the king put himself in opposition to parliament. Parliament won and the king lost his head." | |
Weyman Bennett, of Stand Up To Racism and one of the counter-protest organisers, said: "I believe that the majority of people in this country reject fascism and racism. | |
"There's deep concern in Britain about the growth of the far right in this country, under the guise of Tommy Robinson and UKIP." | |
He added: "We are excited about the amount of women organisers, Muslim groups and trade unions that have come out. | |
UKIP had earlier predicted its "Brexit Betrayal" march would be "the largest pro-Brexit event of the year", with party leader Gerard Batten telling supporters it was the "only pro-Brexit rally to be held before the vote next week". | |
Labour's shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, had urged people to join the rally against Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon. | |
Scotland Yard said it had imposed conditions - which include the marches sticking to planned routes and limits on the time they could take place. | |
Mr Robinson and his supporters met outside the Dorchester hotel on Park Lane before marching along a pre-determined route to Westminster. | |
Police barriers separated them from the counter-protesters, who had gathered outside the BBC's Portland Place headquarters prior to marching to Whitehall. |