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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/mar/29/pro-brexiters-block-roads-westminster-chanting-bye-bye-eu
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| Pro-Brexiters block roads in Westminster chanting 'Bye bye EU' | Pro-Brexiters block roads in Westminster chanting 'Bye bye EU' |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Thousands of protesters calling for Brexit are rallying outside parliament after MPs inside voted down Theresa May’s withdrawal agreement on the day the UK was supposed to be leaving the EU. Leave Means Leave supporters lined past parliament as a March To Leave procession that started in Sunderland two weeks ago arrived in Westminster. | |
| Traffic came to a standstill around Parliament Square as Brexit backers blocked the road while chanting “we shall not be moved”, “Brexit now” and “Bye bye EU”. | Traffic came to a standstill around Parliament Square as Brexit backers blocked the road while chanting “we shall not be moved”, “Brexit now” and “Bye bye EU”. |
| Some moved on to chants of “Oh, Tommy Robinson”, in support of the English Defence League founder who is now advising Ukip and addressed the crowds on Friday afternoon.. | |
| Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was playing his hour-long film attacking the BBC from a large stage on Parliament Street on Friday afternoon as demonstrators gathered outside the Palace of Westminster. | Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was playing his hour-long film attacking the BBC from a large stage on Parliament Street on Friday afternoon as demonstrators gathered outside the Palace of Westminster. |
| Hundreds of people stood in front of the stage, which is officially organised by Ukip, with many more pouring across as Robinson began speaking. Thousands more sat on the grass of Parliament Square enjoying the sunshine, as Nigel Farage’s March to Leave arrived. | |
| The protestors ranged from far right activists through to Trump-voting Americans and French supporters of a “Frexit”. | |
| Members of both crowds walked over and back between the March to Leave and Ukip events, which was also due to be addressed by the party leader Gerard Batten. | |
| “Brexit is a huge inspiration to us and we want France to follow,” said Rabia Ouchikhe, a French citizen from the island of Reunion who was gathered with others from France’s Eurosceptic UPR movement. She said that some 800 people had travelled from France. | |
| The crowd included Chris Danbury from Bexley, south London, who was enjoying a can of beer while watching Robinson’s documentary. | |
| “I wasn’t part of the English Defence League (EDL) when Tommy was involved in that but I really respect what he has done,” said Danbury. | |
| Asked what he and others would do if Brexit happened on softer terms or even on those of May’s deal, he shrugged and said: “We’ll just have to take them out at the general election.” | |
| Many carried home-made placards and wore outfits ranging from yellow vests to military fatigues and polo shirts of the various fan groups that have come together under the banner of the Democratic Football Lads Alliance. | |
| Barbara Parish, a former nurse from Nottingham, was wearing a crown and the sash of the suffragettes and held a placard tracing UK democracy from the Magna Carta to universal suffrage and beyond. “Don’t let the EU and parliament destroy it,” was her message. | |
| Shortly before 4.30pm the crowd cheered as a number of loyalist marching bands made their way into the square, their drums emblazoned with the slogan “true blue defenders”. | |
| Louise Peart, a former policewoman and NHS worker from Surrey, had floated across from the other rally and described the parliamentary impasse as a “shambles”. | |
| “We’re tired of getting tarnished as far right or racist or the other. We’re just working, middle-class people who want democracy to be carried through,” she added. | |
| A group of four men milling around on Parliament Street said they had attended the protests outside Parliament on Friday because they “believe in freedom”. Although initially confrontational at being approached by a reporter, they were happy to talk about politics. | A group of four men milling around on Parliament Street said they had attended the protests outside Parliament on Friday because they “believe in freedom”. Although initially confrontational at being approached by a reporter, they were happy to talk about politics. |
| “David Cameron said it was a vote once in a lifetime,” said one. “Was he talking about a hamster’s lifetime or a human lifetime?” | “David Cameron said it was a vote once in a lifetime,” said one. “Was he talking about a hamster’s lifetime or a human lifetime?” |
| Three of the men, Greek by descent, said the EU’s treatment of the leftwing government in Greece was a major reason for their opposition to the UK’s continuing membership. | Three of the men, Greek by descent, said the EU’s treatment of the leftwing government in Greece was a major reason for their opposition to the UK’s continuing membership. |
| “We are here for freedom, democracy and peace,” said another. “We’re not fascists, we’re not racists, we’re not even English – our parents are immigrants from abroad. But we love this country more than some English people do.” | “We are here for freedom, democracy and peace,” said another. “We’re not fascists, we’re not racists, we’re not even English – our parents are immigrants from abroad. But we love this country more than some English people do.” |
| All said they had supported Labour, until the party’s recent antisemitism crisis. A fourth man in the group, who identified himself as a former Tory turned UKIP member, added: “All leavers want more immigration from the common market – it’s the EU that’s racist by only including Europeans.” | All said they had supported Labour, until the party’s recent antisemitism crisis. A fourth man in the group, who identified himself as a former Tory turned UKIP member, added: “All leavers want more immigration from the common market – it’s the EU that’s racist by only including Europeans.” |
| Irene Foster, 71, was in Parliament Square, carrying a banner saying: “No to EU.” She, her husband and her friend had all travelled from east Devon to join the demonstration. | Irene Foster, 71, was in Parliament Square, carrying a banner saying: “No to EU.” She, her husband and her friend had all travelled from east Devon to join the demonstration. |
| “I’m old enough to remember what happened when we joined the EU,” Foster said. “Factories were bribed to take the stuff over to EU countries. Out workers were sent over there to show them to use the stuff and when they came back they had no jobs.” | “I’m old enough to remember what happened when we joined the EU,” Foster said. “Factories were bribed to take the stuff over to EU countries. Out workers were sent over there to show them to use the stuff and when they came back they had no jobs.” |
| Her husband, Paul, 70, said he hoped the UK would leave the EU soon. “This is what we were promised, that leave means leave, and they are all going back on their word now,” he said. | Her husband, Paul, 70, said he hoped the UK would leave the EU soon. “This is what we were promised, that leave means leave, and they are all going back on their word now,” he said. |
| Irene said: “The majority of people voted to leave.” Her husband added that if Brexit did not happen, “there’s going to be some very angry people up and down the country”. | Irene said: “The majority of people voted to leave.” Her husband added that if Brexit did not happen, “there’s going to be some very angry people up and down the country”. |
| Police horses has to be brought in to defend a hundred or so counter-protesters from Stand Up To Racism gathered at the Embankment end of Richmond Terrace, when several dozen pro-Brexit demonstators, some wearing masks approached them, shouting “Jew-hating scum” and “leftwing scum”. | |
| At one point a man tried to knock the camera out of a Guardian reporter’s hand as he tried to film the confrontation. Police ushered the counterprotesters down Richmond Terrace in an attempt to halt the confrontation. They then gathered on Whitehall by the Women of World War 2 memorial for a small rally. | |
| Before that counterprotesters had stayed quiet as hundreds of pro-Brexit demonstrators filed past. | |
| At one point Vinnie O’Sullivan, an online right-wing figure who publishes on Facebook, stopped to shout abuse at Steve Hedley, of the RMT union, and a group of policemen moved to intervene. | |
| Asked why he had joined the counter-demo, one protester, who gave his name as Daniel, from Coventry, said: “Because we think either way you voted - I voted to leave - obviously Tommy Robinson and Ukip are racist and they are just trying to build off a feeling of disenfranchisement that people have. So wherever racists turn up I will be there to oppose them.” | |
| Weyman Bennett, coordinator of Stand Up To Racism, said those who had attacked them were from the Democratic Football Lads Alliance, including members of the football hooligan firm the Chelsea head hunters. “They are trying to camouflage themselves in the Brexit movement,” Bennett said. | |
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