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| Brexit: thousands turn out for 'Stop the Coup' protests across UK – live | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Dozens of protesters are blocking traffic at Trafalgar Square by sitting in the road to demonstrate against the suspension of Parliament. | |
| Priyanka Banerji, a teacher from Berkshire who says her grandfather and great aunt were part of the salt march against colonial Britain in India led by Gandhi in 1930, joined others blocking the road to protest in the spirit of her family. | |
| The 33-year-old told the Guardian: “We want to make our voice heard. Regardless of what side of the fence everybody is on, whether it’s anti-Brexit or pro-Brexit, I think today is actually about defending democracy and the very foundation of Parliament.” | |
| Explaining why she felt compelled to sit in the road, she said: “I think we were chanting just outside the steps of Downing Street, ‘you shut down our Parliament, we’ll shut down the streets.’ So I think everyone has metaphorically taken it and now physically wants to be able to sit down and just make the point that actually something needs to be done. | |
| “It can’t be that we have someone who just railroads a decision for 31st October and then is masking proroguing of Parliament with domestic policy.” | |
| Referencing her family’s history on the salt march with Gandhi in protest against colonial Britain, she added: “My Mum’s finding quite ironic that I’m actually marching for Britain.” | |
| Couple Emma Beckingham and Charles Barker, both 23 and from Tooting, south London, sat in the road for an hour. | |
| Barker, clutching a sign reading “remain, reform revolt, said Johnson was trying to “block the will of the people by stopping Parliament talking to each other”. | |
| The bar worker added: “If MPs truly are the elected members of the people and the voice of the people, by stopping Parliament sitting you’re stopping us from having a voice.” | |
| Protesters in Wales | |
| Encouraging turn-out, great spirit and excellent use of the high street #Bangor #DefendOurDemocracy pic.twitter.com/1qhqba5MrQ | |
| Liberal Democrat Stephen Williams, a former MP for Bristol West, told protesters in the city: “Democracy is never a one-off event, whether it is a referendum or an election. | |
| “All he [Boris Johnson] cares about is being in power himself and being in power for his class of people so they can be the people who rule over us. We must stand up to that. | |
| “What Johnson has done is wipe out most of the September calendar, wipe out most of the October calendar, leaving them with about four days to make the most important decision of any of our lifetimes and the most important decision that this 650 people will ever have to make. | |
| “That is worthy of North Korea, not Great Britain.” | |
| From my colleague Libby Brooks in Glasgow | |
| As usual, some impressive signage in George Square, including my personal favourite, the felted ‘liar’ pic.twitter.com/GjPsyvFHKA | |
| Here are a selection of images from today’s protests across the country | |
| 'Stop the Coup' protests across the UK – in pictures | |
| Darren Jones, Labour MP for Bristol North West, told protesters in the city that people should take to the streets to demonstrate against the prime minister and not allow “democracy to die”. | |
| He added: “Thank-you to the thousands of you that have marched through the streets of Bristol and across the country to make it clear we will not stand down when our democracy is being shut down. | |
| “We are members of Parliament and Parliament is where we should be making your voice heard loud and clear, with the power of our vote and the ability to hold the government to account. | |
| “If Boris Johnson thinks he can turn Britain into an autocracy, he has got another think coming. | |
| “If the prime minister is able to close down Parliament, we need to be able to bring it to the streets because we are your voice in Parliament and our democracy is about all of us. | |
| “What is clear from all of you today, and in towns and cities up and down the country, is that the British people will not let democracy die.” | |
| Hundreds have gathered in George Square, central Glasgow, on a sunny but blustery afternoon, waving saltires, EU flags and handmade signs, to hear speeches from the SNP’s Keith Brown, Scottish Labour’s Paul Sweeney and Patrick Harvey from the Scottish Greens. | Hundreds have gathered in George Square, central Glasgow, on a sunny but blustery afternoon, waving saltires, EU flags and handmade signs, to hear speeches from the SNP’s Keith Brown, Scottish Labour’s Paul Sweeney and Patrick Harvey from the Scottish Greens. |
| SNP MP for Glasgow Central Alison Thewliss told the Guardian that her inbox had been full of messages protesting the prime minister’s decision earlier this week to suspend parliament. | SNP MP for Glasgow Central Alison Thewliss told the Guardian that her inbox had been full of messages protesting the prime minister’s decision earlier this week to suspend parliament. |
| “I’ve heard from people I’ve never heard from before, and when I was chapping doors in the constituency this morning the message was the same. It’s an egregious democratic outrage. You can’t shut down parliament because you think it’s not going to agree with you.” | “I’ve heard from people I’ve never heard from before, and when I was chapping doors in the constituency this morning the message was the same. It’s an egregious democratic outrage. You can’t shut down parliament because you think it’s not going to agree with you.” |
| She said that MPs were galvanised to fight prorogation this coming week, with more cross party collaboration since Johnson’s move. “A lot of people didn’t believe it could happen until it actually did.”The show this afternoon has been completely stolen by a little boy walking around with a hand written ‘Boris is a jobbie’ sign, which he has now turned into a chant. | She said that MPs were galvanised to fight prorogation this coming week, with more cross party collaboration since Johnson’s move. “A lot of people didn’t believe it could happen until it actually did.”The show this afternoon has been completely stolen by a little boy walking around with a hand written ‘Boris is a jobbie’ sign, which he has now turned into a chant. |
| Speaking in Glasgow’s George Square, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “I’m proud to be here with all of you supporting that, to say to Boris Johnson no way, it’s our Parliament. | Speaking in Glasgow’s George Square, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: “I’m proud to be here with all of you supporting that, to say to Boris Johnson no way, it’s our Parliament. |
| “No way do you take us out without a deal - we will stop you and give the people their rights and their say to determine their future.” | “No way do you take us out without a deal - we will stop you and give the people their rights and their say to determine their future.” |
| He said he is backing the protests all over the country, adding: “Demonstrations are taking place everywhere because people are angered and outraged about what is happening. | He said he is backing the protests all over the country, adding: “Demonstrations are taking place everywhere because people are angered and outraged about what is happening. |
| “Angered that the government and a prime minister elected by 93,000 members of the Tory party is trying to hijack the needs, aims and aspirations of 65 million people. | “Angered that the government and a prime minister elected by 93,000 members of the Tory party is trying to hijack the needs, aims and aspirations of 65 million people. |
| “Well think on Boris, it’s not on and we’re not having it.” | “Well think on Boris, it’s not on and we’re not having it.” |
| Crowds have now moved on to Trafalgar Square where some demonstrators have been sat in the road blocking traffic for up to an hour. | Crowds have now moved on to Trafalgar Square where some demonstrators have been sat in the road blocking traffic for up to an hour. |
| Scotland Yards says no arrests have been made. | Scotland Yards says no arrests have been made. |
| From the demo in Whitehall | From the demo in Whitehall |
| Huge crowds, great signs, controlled anger #StoptheCoup #DefendOurDemocracy #Whitehall “this is just the beginning of something huge” pic.twitter.com/NE4ibSVlGF | Huge crowds, great signs, controlled anger #StoptheCoup #DefendOurDemocracy #Whitehall “this is just the beginning of something huge” pic.twitter.com/NE4ibSVlGF |
| Chris McHugh, 33, who works for Labour MP Liz Twist and was demonstrating in Newcastle, said the protest is about “protecting democracy”. | Chris McHugh, 33, who works for Labour MP Liz Twist and was demonstrating in Newcastle, said the protest is about “protecting democracy”. |
| He added: “The fact that thousands have taken to the streets of Newcastle today is so telling.” | He added: “The fact that thousands have taken to the streets of Newcastle today is so telling.” |
| From my colleague Dan Sabbagh in Whitehall | From my colleague Dan Sabbagh in Whitehall |
| 'Boris is a bum face' - youngsters protest, Whitehall pic.twitter.com/NquEbylQEz | 'Boris is a bum face' - youngsters protest, Whitehall pic.twitter.com/NquEbylQEz |
| Anti-Brexit campaign group Another Europe Is Possible has called for daily demonstrations. | Anti-Brexit campaign group Another Europe Is Possible has called for daily demonstrations. |
| Alena Ivanova, from the group, said: “Today’s protests are the beginning of something huge - they have been inspiring, full of youth and diversity and energy.” | Alena Ivanova, from the group, said: “Today’s protests are the beginning of something huge - they have been inspiring, full of youth and diversity and energy.” |
| She added the daily protests must “grow into the millions” in “the centre of every town in the country”. | She added the daily protests must “grow into the millions” in “the centre of every town in the country”. |
| From my colleague Simon Murphy at the demo in London | From my colleague Simon Murphy at the demo in London |
| Guardian columnist Owen Jones made a passionate speech, asking crowd: “Are we going to stop our unelected prime minister thrashing our democracy like the Bullingdon club would trash restaurants?” pic.twitter.com/tqGlJDccYS | Guardian columnist Owen Jones made a passionate speech, asking crowd: “Are we going to stop our unelected prime minister thrashing our democracy like the Bullingdon club would trash restaurants?” pic.twitter.com/tqGlJDccYS |