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| Brexit: thousands turn out for 'Stop the Coup' protests across UK – live | Brexit: thousands turn out for 'Stop the Coup' protests across UK – live |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| In one of the biggest demonstrations the remain voting west country city has seen since the Brexit referendum, up to 5,000 people are thought to have marched in Bristol. Some waved homemade placards emblazoned with slogans like “I have the right to representation”, “shamocracy” and “fuck Boris” while the crowd chanted “stop the coup” and “Boris, Boris, Boris – out, out, out”. | In one of the biggest demonstrations the remain voting west country city has seen since the Brexit referendum, up to 5,000 people are thought to have marched in Bristol. Some waved homemade placards emblazoned with slogans like “I have the right to representation”, “shamocracy” and “fuck Boris” while the crowd chanted “stop the coup” and “Boris, Boris, Boris – out, out, out”. |
| Many were old hands, who had been to lots of remain protests. But others were taking to the streets for the first time. Will Roberts, 39, who was with his wife and two children, had steered clear of protests until now, preferring to let the democratic process takes its course. “I was disappointed with the result but this is worse than Brexit itself,” he said. “Hand on heart, this is really frightening. If you know a bit of history, you’ll know this is the thin end of the wedge.” | Many were old hands, who had been to lots of remain protests. But others were taking to the streets for the first time. Will Roberts, 39, who was with his wife and two children, had steered clear of protests until now, preferring to let the democratic process takes its course. “I was disappointed with the result but this is worse than Brexit itself,” he said. “Hand on heart, this is really frightening. If you know a bit of history, you’ll know this is the thin end of the wedge.” |
| Donna Ferguson in Cambridge | Donna Ferguson in Cambridge |
| Martin Baxter, 67, is holding a “no to racism, no to Boris Johnson” banner. “I think the situation is farcical in this country at the moment. The government we have is headed by a playboy.” | Martin Baxter, 67, is holding a “no to racism, no to Boris Johnson” banner. “I think the situation is farcical in this country at the moment. The government we have is headed by a playboy.” |
| He hopes that the decision to prorogue parliament will be challenged and can be overturned, but is doubtful the situation will work out well for the political parties backing ‘remain’, either way. “I think Mr Johnson doesn’t care what the outcome is, as long as he can blame his political enemies when prorogation is overthrown. He can say: ‘Oh well, if I’d been able to prorogue parliament, then I would have got my deal through and I’d have won. This is all their fault.’ And then there will be a general election.” | He hopes that the decision to prorogue parliament will be challenged and can be overturned, but is doubtful the situation will work out well for the political parties backing ‘remain’, either way. “I think Mr Johnson doesn’t care what the outcome is, as long as he can blame his political enemies when prorogation is overthrown. He can say: ‘Oh well, if I’d been able to prorogue parliament, then I would have got my deal through and I’d have won. This is all their fault.’ And then there will be a general election.” |
| “You do not preserve democracy by trashing it,” said Barbara Wibbelmann, 64. “Proroguing parliament is no way to go about delivering Brexit.” | |
| Originally from Germany, she has been living in the UK since 1984 and took out British citizenship shortly after the referendum. “I can see why people don’t like the EU, but we need to change it from within, not without.” | Originally from Germany, she has been living in the UK since 1984 and took out British citizenship shortly after the referendum. “I can see why people don’t like the EU, but we need to change it from within, not without.” |
| As for Boris Johnson, she says, what he is doing is “very wrong”: “It flies in the face of democracy. People are being excluded from the decisions and their voices are not being heard.” | As for Boris Johnson, she says, what he is doing is “very wrong”: “It flies in the face of democracy. People are being excluded from the decisions and their voices are not being heard.” |
| The Green party London assembly member Caroline Russell was among protesters blocking the road at Trafalgar Square arrested by police, it has emerged. | The Green party London assembly member Caroline Russell was among protesters blocking the road at Trafalgar Square arrested by police, it has emerged. |
| The politician joined other demonstrators sitting in the road refusing to move while chanting: “You shut down the parliament, we shut down the streets.” | The politician joined other demonstrators sitting in the road refusing to move while chanting: “You shut down the parliament, we shut down the streets.” |
| The Guardian captured footage of her being cheered as she was taken away in handcuffs by officers. | The Guardian captured footage of her being cheered as she was taken away in handcuffs by officers. |
| Sian Berry, the Green Party co-leader, said: “Earlier today, I was speaking at the main rally of the Defend Our Democracy protest. I said then that we were calmly determined not to have our rights chipped away. Protest, and direct action were needed, I said. | Sian Berry, the Green Party co-leader, said: “Earlier today, I was speaking at the main rally of the Defend Our Democracy protest. I said then that we were calmly determined not to have our rights chipped away. Protest, and direct action were needed, I said. |
| “I’m proud that Caroline has been at the forefront, with others, of showing that determination. | “I’m proud that Caroline has been at the forefront, with others, of showing that determination. |
| “History tells us that all the rights we have we had to win. No one has ever handed them to us. | “History tells us that all the rights we have we had to win. No one has ever handed them to us. |
| “Caroline and the others on the streets in London today were defending those hard-won rights that are now under attack from Boris Johnson. | “Caroline and the others on the streets in London today were defending those hard-won rights that are now under attack from Boris Johnson. |
| “We, the people, will come back on the streets again and again in the coming weeks of national crisis to defend our MPs and win our final say. | “We, the people, will come back on the streets again and again in the coming weeks of national crisis to defend our MPs and win our final say. |
| “We will keep saying to Boris Johnson, to Jacob Rees-Mogg, to Dominic Raab – your actions do not represent us | “We will keep saying to Boris Johnson, to Jacob Rees-Mogg, to Dominic Raab – your actions do not represent us |
| “If you abuse power, we the people will make sure you won’t be in power much longer.” | “If you abuse power, we the people will make sure you won’t be in power much longer.” |
| Donna Ferguson in Cambridge | Donna Ferguson in Cambridge |
| Wearing a Bollocks to Brexit sticker, Brian Gould, 53, said he couldn’t stay at home if there was any chance attending the rally would make a difference: “I am afraid a no-deal Brexit may happen, and I don’t want it to. I am here to stop Brexit.” | Wearing a Bollocks to Brexit sticker, Brian Gould, 53, said he couldn’t stay at home if there was any chance attending the rally would make a difference: “I am afraid a no-deal Brexit may happen, and I don’t want it to. I am here to stop Brexit.” |
| He runs his own business, importing German products into the UK and is worried about the consequence of Brexit on trade. “I also have family living in Germany and friends living across the EU. I fear it will become harder to freely travel and visit them.” | He runs his own business, importing German products into the UK and is worried about the consequence of Brexit on trade. “I also have family living in Germany and friends living across the EU. I fear it will become harder to freely travel and visit them.” |
| He thinks the reason many people voted to leave is because British people don’t feel European. “When my friends in Europe speak of Europeans, they don’t speak of ‘them’, they speak of ‘us’. Here in Britain, we don’t do that. But whether or not we’re in the EU, we’re still Europeans. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand.” | He thinks the reason many people voted to leave is because British people don’t feel European. “When my friends in Europe speak of Europeans, they don’t speak of ‘them’, they speak of ‘us’. Here in Britain, we don’t do that. But whether or not we’re in the EU, we’re still Europeans. That’s what a lot of people don’t understand.” |
| Darren Jones, the 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. | Darren Jones, the 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. | “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 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. | “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.” | “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.” |
| After speaking at a demonstration in her Brighton constituency, the former Green party leader, Caroline Lucas, thanked those who came out to protest. She tweeted: | After speaking at a demonstration in her Brighton constituency, the former Green party leader, Caroline Lucas, thanked those who came out to protest. She tweeted: |
| This is what democracy looks likeThanks to all who came to #StopTheCoup demos todayThis is about more than #BrexitA democracy worthy of name isn’t one where power is hoarded at the topWe need a #CitizensConvention to put people at heart of our politics, not feral elites pic.twitter.com/e9bvzeJ95f | This is what democracy looks likeThanks to all who came to #StopTheCoup demos todayThis is about more than #BrexitA democracy worthy of name isn’t one where power is hoarded at the topWe need a #CitizensConvention to put people at heart of our politics, not feral elites pic.twitter.com/e9bvzeJ95f |
| At least two arrests made by police after protesters refused to leave. pic.twitter.com/qFN2hJOnrc | At least two arrests made by police after protesters refused to leave. pic.twitter.com/qFN2hJOnrc |
| Police have now moved in to clear protesters from blocking the road, many who have been there for more than hour, but some are reluctant to budge. pic.twitter.com/s7a9R0fp5j | Police have now moved in to clear protesters from blocking the road, many who have been there for more than hour, but some are reluctant to budge. pic.twitter.com/s7a9R0fp5j |
| More from Donna Ferguson in Cambridge | More from Donna Ferguson in Cambridge |
| British citizen Jasmina Makljenovic has spent an hour listening to speeches at the Stop the Coup rally in Cambridge, and now she is crying. “This is about my children and their future,” she said. “Boris Johnson is dangerous. This is not how democracy should work. There aredictators everywhere in the world. How on earth do people think they got into power? This is how it happened: slowly and gradually. We are like boiled frogs. Slowly we are being cooked and our freedoms are being taken away.” | British citizen Jasmina Makljenovic has spent an hour listening to speeches at the Stop the Coup rally in Cambridge, and now she is crying. “This is about my children and their future,” she said. “Boris Johnson is dangerous. This is not how democracy should work. There aredictators everywhere in the world. How on earth do people think they got into power? This is how it happened: slowly and gradually. We are like boiled frogs. Slowly we are being cooked and our freedoms are being taken away.” |
| Dozens of protesters are blocking traffic at Trafalgar Square by sitting in the road to demonstrate against the suspension of Parliament. | 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. | 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.” | 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. | 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.” | “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.” | 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. | 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”. | 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.” | 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 | Protesters in Wales |
| Encouraging turn-out, great spirit and excellent use of the high street #Bangor #DefendOurDemocracy pic.twitter.com/1qhqba5MrQ | 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. | 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. | “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. | “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.” | “That is worthy of North Korea, not Great Britain.” |
| From my colleague Libby Brooks in Glasgow | 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 | As usual, some impressive signage in George Square, including my personal favourite, the felted ‘liar’ pic.twitter.com/GjPsyvFHKA |