Evening summary
- Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Britain and outside the gates of Downing Street in protest against Boris Johnson’s move to suspend parliament. Crowds brandished banners pledging to “defend democracy”, chanted “stop the coup” and waved EU flags in London in a bid to resist the parliament shutdown.
- Demonstrators massed at protests in dozens of locations around the country including Manchester, Glasgow, Birmingham, Brighton, Swansea, Bristol and Liverpool.
- Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell labelled Boris Johnson a “dictator” in a stinging attack as he addressed crowds outside Downing Street. He went on to attack the prime minister’s move to suspend parliament, saying it had had “rightfully” been called “a very British coup”, adding: “We have defeated dictators in the past in our history and we will defeat this dictator under Johnson.”
- Speaking in Glasgow’s George Square, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told the crowd: “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.”
- Following the rally outside Downing Street, dozens of protesters blocked traffic at Trafalgar Square by sitting in the road, while others marched towards Buckingham Palace.
- The Green party London assembly member Caroline Russell was among protesters blocking the road at Trafalgar Square arrested by police. 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. Three demonstrators at the protest in the capital were arrested in total, Scotland Yard confirmed.
Scotland Yard confirms there have been three arrests at protests in the capital today.
— Simon Murphy (@murphy_simon) August 31, 2019
Police have now cleared remaining demonstrators back from Trafalgar Square. pic.twitter.com/OCkUpgbTrm
— Simon Murphy (@murphy_simon) August 31, 2019
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.”
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.”
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.”
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.”
Updated
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 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.
“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.
“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 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.”
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.”
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.”
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.
“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.”
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 like
— Caroline Lucas (@CarolineLucas) August 31, 2019
Thanks to all who came to #StopTheCoup demos today
This is about more than #Brexit
A democracy worthy of name isn’t one where power is hoarded at the top
We 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
— Simon Murphy (@murphy_simon) August 31, 2019
Updated
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
— Simon Murphy (@murphy_simon) August 31, 2019
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 are
dictators 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.
Priyanka, 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.”
Updated
Protesters in Wales
Encouraging turn-out, great spirit and excellent use of the high street #Bangor #DefendOurDemocracy pic.twitter.com/1qhqba5MrQ
— Kath Evans (@kath_evans) August 31, 2019
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
— Libby Brooks (@libby_brooks) August 31, 2019
Here are a selection of images from today’s protests across the country
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.
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.”
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.
Jeremy Corbyn in George Square
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.”
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.
“Well think on Boris, it’s not on and we’re not having it.”
Updated
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.
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
— Hannah Evans (@HannahLEvans91) August 31, 2019
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.”
From my colleague Dan Sabbagh in Whitehall
'Boris is a bum face' - youngsters protest, Whitehall pic.twitter.com/NquEbylQEz
— Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) August 31, 2019
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.”
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
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
— Simon Murphy (@murphy_simon) August 31, 2019
Several hundred protesters braved the wet weather to gather in Birmingham’s Victoria Square to hear speeches opposing the proroguing of Parliament.
Labour’s West Midlands MEP Neena Gill told the crowd: “When I heard what was going on this week, I was actually gobsmacked.
“Boris may think he can shut down Parliament, but he cannot shut down the people.”
Hitting out at “right-wing Brexiteers” who she claimed aim to roll back hard-won rights and change the face of Britain, Gill added: “No-deal Brexit will be a complete catastrophe for this country and this region.”
Anti-Brexit demonstrators then marched along nearby New Street, Temple Street and Waterloo Street - with a handful of by-standers shouting pro-Brexit slogans, including a group of men chanting “Boris Johnson’s barmy army”.
From the demo in Brighton
#defendourdemocracy #stopthecoup
— Jamie Burland (@JamieBurland) August 31, 2019
The Level, Brighton pic.twitter.com/GlgQXaWKmc
John McDonnell labels Boris Johnson a “dictator”
Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell labelled Boris Johnson a “dictator” in a stinging attack as he addressed crowds outside Downing Street.
Referencing Jeremy Corbyn’s absence from the rally — which earlier prompted cries of “where’s Jeremy?” from protesters — McDonnell said the brought a “message of solidarity” from the Labour leader.
He went on to attack the prime minister’s move to suspend Parliament, saying it had had “rightfully” been called “a very British coup”, adding: “We have defeated dictators in the past in our history and we will defeat this dictator under Johnson.”
Earlier, he said: “This is a fight to protect our democracy. We know what Johnson is up to, it’s not very subtle, is it? He wants to close down our democracy to force through a no-deal Brexit.”
He added: “He also wants to try and convene a general election based upon this idea of his, he can frame it as people versus Parliament. Let’s make it absolutely clear... Boris Johnson, this is not about Parliament versus the people, this is about you versus the people.”
Meanwhile, Shadow women and equalities minister Dawn Butler, wearing a “defend democracy” sticker, geed up the crowd, chanting: “Wanna know what democracy looks like? This is what democracy looks like.”
Updated
After speaking at a demonstration in her Brighton constituency, former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas thanked those who came out to protest.
“This is what democracy looks like,” she tweeted. “This is about more than Brexit.
“A democracy worthy of name isn’t one where power is hoarded at the top.
“We need a CitizensConvention to put people at heart of our politics, not feral elites.”
My colleague Dan Sabbagh is at the protest in central London
From the Whitehall demo pic.twitter.com/8YZaInXo7J
— Dan Sabbagh (@dansabbagh) August 31, 2019
Around 2000 protesters marched through Bristol city centre, bringing traffic to a standstill.
People gathered at College Green and looped around the city, through the middle of the Broadmead shopping area and back to meet at Bristol Cenotaph.
They shouted “What do we want? Democracy! When do we want it? Now!”, “Boris Johnson, shame on you” and “Hey, hey, ho, ho, Boris Johnson’s got to go”.
Footage of the demos across the UK
Updated
Fantastic turnout for the protest against Cummings' and Johnson's prorogation.
— John Peek, Tricksy Remainer, 🎪 #FSFA #FBPE (@john196201) August 31, 2019
Not in our name. #SaturdayMorning#DefendOurDemocracy #DefendDemocracy#StopTheCoup #BlockTheCoup #StopTheBrexitCoup pic.twitter.com/ODggLn3xWU
Thousands of people have gathered in George Square in the centre of Glasgow at a People’s Assembly Defend Democracy rally against the prorogation of Parliament and calling for a general election.
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is expected to be among the speakers, ending his three-day visit to Scotland.
From my colleague Simon Murphy at the protest in London..
A young Italian couple who live in Britain also took to the stage with their two young children to convey their disgust at the suspension of Parliament. pic.twitter.com/z53kLzZs0f
— Simon Murphy (@murphy_simon) August 31, 2019
Demonstrators have begun to march to the opposite side of Westminster Bridge,
shouting: “If you shut down our Parliament, we shut down your bridge.”
Okay this is the best sign here #DefendOurDemocracy #StopTheCoup pic.twitter.com/89s3claLQA
— Imogen Hardy 🏳️🌈🇪🇺 (@idgiecodes) August 31, 2019
NHS pharmacist Bridie Walton, 55, joined protesters in Exeter and condemned the prime minister’s decision to prorogue Parliament, saying: “Nobody voted for a dictatorship.”
He added: “These are the actions of a man who is afraid his arguments will not stand scrutiny.
“Before the Brexit vote I’d never been to a demo in my life... [I am] watching a nastier world emerge.”
Protesters outside Downing Street
Updated
Anti-Brexit activists gathered outside City Hall in Belfast to protest against the suspension of Parliament.
Dozens of demonstrators chanted “stop the coup” while several activists addressed the crowd, condemning Boris Johnson’s move.
Susie Burlace, an English woman who has lived in Northern Ireland for six years, drew inspiration from Oscar Wilde with a placard stating: “To lose one government is a misfortune, to lose two looks like carelessness - or a coup.”
Brenda Gough, from west Belfast, was one of those who had promoted the event.
“My concern is we are supposed to live in a democracy, whether you voted Remain or Leave,” she said.
Crowds gathered in Cathedral Gardens in Manchester swelled to several thousand. Among the speakers were the Labour MEP Julie Ward and broadcaster Paul Mason.
Mason, a former BBC Newsnight and Channel 4 News correspondent, encouraged the crowd to chant “Stop the Coup”.
A short distance away, a small group of pro-Brexit supporters stood outside the National Football Museum, with a line of about 20 police officers watching on.
Behind the officers, people jeered and shouted “Bollocks to Brexit”, as one man sang “One Boris Johnson, there’s only one Boris Johnson” into a loudhailer.
An estimated 1,200 people gathered in the Market Square in Cambridge and heard speeches from across the political parties, Unite, Unison and other unions. Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings were booed heavily like pantomime villains. One person shouted: “Off with his head” about Boris, referring to Charles I proroguing parliament. People were waving EU flags and anti-racist banners. Most popular message was unite to kick the Tories out and stay in the EU.
Activists have been showing their solidarity overseas
There are 32 planned protests taking place across the UK.
Demonstrators gathered outside Oxford University’s Balliol College, which was attended by Boris Johnson, to voice their displeasure about his handling of Brexit.
Lesley McKie, who was at the college with her family, criticised the “undemocratic actions of Boris Johnson and [senior adviser] Dominic Cummings”.
Denouncing the Prime Minister outside the institution where he established his “political profile” sends “a powerful message to Johnson and others leading this coup”, she added.
Simon Murphy has been speaking to people at the march. Here is his take:
Updated
Protesters in Newcastle
Newcastle, I love you ❤️✊🏻 so proud to stand alongside you today to #DefendOurDemocracy #StopTheBrexitCoup pic.twitter.com/cLmpGlrGFh
— Frances Weetman (@francesweetman) August 31, 2019
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell urged Labour MPs to join the nationwide protest, calling Boris Johnson’s decision to close Parliament for up to five weeks an attempt “to shut down democracy”.
“As elected Labour MPs across the country represent their constituents by joining in these protests, I urge other MPs to think of their constituents whose jobs and livelihoods will be put at risk in a no-deal Brexit.
“If Boris Johnson wants a mandate, then he should call a general election and put it to the people.”
A crowd of more than 1,000 gathered at Cathedral Gardens in Manchester city centre.
Among the speakers were Labour MEP Julie Ward and broadcaster Paul Mason.
A short distance away, a small group of pro-Brexit supporters stood outside the National Football Museum, with a line of about 20 police officers watching on.
Behind the officers, people jeered and shouted “Bollocks to Brexit”, as one man sang “One Boris Johnson, there’s only one Boris Johnson” into a loudhailer.
Protesters in Sheffield
Brilliant turnout at #Sheffield #DefendOurDemocracy protest 🇪🇺 #Brexit #brexitcoup pic.twitter.com/4LYo8NEIGD
— Colin (@coljall) August 31, 2019
More than 1,000 people gathered in the centre of York to listen to speakers outside the famous Bettys tea rooms and The Ivy restaurant.
Many of those in St Helen’s Square were carrying banners as well as EU and Yorkshire flags and hats.
Anti-Brexit campaign group Another Europe Is Possible has planned 32 StopTheCoup protests to take place in England, Scotland and Wales.
And left-wing group Momentum is calling on its members to “occupy bridges and blockade roads” in conjunction with unrest on the streets.
Other demonstrations will be held in cities including Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Swansea, Leeds, Belfast, Bristol and Aberdeen.
There will also be rallies in Bodmin in Cornwall, and Clotheroe, Lancashire, as well as Amsterdam’s Dam Square and the outside the British Embassy in Riga, Latvia.
Labour cllr Jeremy Goslin at a demo
Proud to be a standard bearer for the UK and EU at such a well attended #DefendOurDemocracy peaceful protest today! Amazing demonstration of political unity to stand up for democracy! pic.twitter.com/v8oVxn3pXS
— Jeremy Goslin (@jeremy_goslin) August 31, 2019
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott addressed the large crowd from a stage positioned near Number 10 and said Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn had sent his support for the demonstration.
The Hackney North MP said
“We are here outside 10 Downing Street trying to get Boris Johnson’s attention, but let me tell you, before too long Jeremy Corbyn will be in 10 Downing Street and Boris will be gone.
“We cannot allow Boris Johnson to shut down Parliament and to shut down the voice of ordinary British people.”
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the numerous Brexit protests taking place across the country this weekend.
Hundreds of protesters brought London’s Whitehall to a standstill as they gathered outside the gates of Number 10.
Demonstrators carrying placards and EU flags have been chanting “Boris Johnson shame on you” and “Trump’s puppet, shame on you”, punctuated by the clanging of a bell, blowing of whistles and a drum.
Updated
