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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Politics
Amy Coles & Oliver Milne

Brexit: Rowdy protest masses outside Parliament and stops traffic

Pro-Brexit protesters have stopped the traffic outside Parliament chanting "we shall not be moved."

Hundreds of protesters crammed into Parliament Square to voice their anger at what they claim is Brexit being betrayed.

Leave Means Leave supporters lined past Parliament, while a March To Leave procession that started in Sunderland two weeks ago headed for Westminster.

The tone varied wildly between groups. 

Families ate picnics under statues while just inches away one angry man screamed that traitorous MPs should “be scared”. 

One woman, who came with her toddler daughter said she came because she thought it would be a day of celebration.

Brexit supporters take part in the final leg of the March To Leave Rally (PA)

The woman, who didn’t want to be named, said “I booked it months ago. I voted to leave and I though it would great to be here. 

“Now we’ve been betrayed I think it’s even more important.

“They can’t ignore us.”

A number of different protests are converging on Parliament Square as MPs prepare to case another vote on the Prime Minister's Brexit deal.

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March to Leave has been making its way to London (Getty Images)
Brexit supporters take part in the final leg of the March To Leave Rally (Getty Images)

Dozens of police were stationed on and around the square, with  if additional officers waiting in vans to be mobilised if trouble kicked off. 

A northern Irish Protestant pipe band played Rule Britannia. 

A man selling England flags underneath a statue of Churchill did a roaring trade as people queued up for photographs with the bronze likeness of the former PM.

Independent Group registering as political party called Change UK  

Leave campaigners stopped a pro-Remain van with a display screen showing quotes from Nigel Farage, which had been circling Parliament square all morning.

They chanted things like "Brexit now" and "Bye bye EU" as the traffic piled up to a standstill.

The March To Leave Rally arrives in London today, the original date for the UK to leave the European Union (Getty Images)

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The mob then pointed and shouted "shame on you" at the van, which continued to display the quotes.

Later "Oh Tommy Robinson" chants shouted began, ahead of his arrival this afternoon for a rally.

Police opted not to try to disperse Leave protesters blocking the road outside Parliament, but focused on getting one lane of traffic open.

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A man who gave his name only as Miroslav said he left the former Yugoslavia for the UK in 1990, adding: "I've lived in a dictatorship before and I don't want to live in a dictatorship again."

The March to Leave rally has arrived in Parliament (Getty Images)

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The engineer, 55, was holding a large banner on the March to Leave procession with detailed caricatures of British politicians being controlled as puppets by senior EU figures.

Walking along the Thames opposite Battersea Park, he said: "It cost a lot, but democracy has no price.

"I love Europe, but the EU have lied, they have ignored referendums, there's no democracy there."

He compared certain EU methods of choosing its top officials as "worthy of Hugo Chavez or Vladimir Putin".

Leavers hoped we would have left the EU today (REUTERS)

A crowd of Leave protesters have gathered in Parliament Square ahead of the vote on Theresa May's deal.

They shared the space with a group of climate change protesters, while a planned Remain counter-protest failed to materialise.

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The Fishing For Leave campaign comprised of fisherman was due to arrive at midday with a fishing boat on the back of a lorry, but by 12.30pm was still en route.

A Make Brexit Happen rally featuring speeches from Ukip leader Gerard Batten and ex- English Defence League chief Tommy Robinson is planned for 4pm.

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