Mr Stop Brexit 'attacked by anti-Remain protesters'

'They're not real Brexiteers or leavers,' says anti-Brexit campaigner of his alleged assailants

An anti-Brexit activist has said an attack that saw him tripped up and punched in the face by a group shouting Brexiteer slogans has only made him want to “stand up more”.

Metropolitan police officers were called to the scene after Steve Bray — also known as Mr Stop Brexit for his commitment to shouting the two words at parliament — was allegedly assaulted while walking with a second campaigner after a protest against the government’s stance on migrant children.

The two were followed for several minutes by a group who hurled abuse and shouted anti-remain slogans.

In footage that has since emerged of the incident, one man can be seen taking the activist’s hat while another can be seen tripping Mr Bray as he runs to recover his possession.

A third man could be seen stamping on a megaphone used by Mr Bray during his protests that had been dropped in the pursuit. Throughout the footage the person holding the camera can be heard laughing at the plight of the activist, who has peacefully protested outside parliament since 2017.

“When I grabbed the one with my hat to get it back he turned around and punched me in the face” Mr Bray said. Following the alleged strike the man was ushered away by his associates, having returned the campaigner’s headgear.

Mr Bray — who has described his alleged assailants as “unpleasant thugs masquerading as Brexit zealots” — told the Independent the men were known to him, having previously hassled him and other activists.

“They’re not real Brexiteers or leavers, they just jumped on [the bandwagon],” he said.

“It’s actually made me want to stand up more to be honest, because this is not the Britain we’re patriotic about.”

Mr Bray said his injuries were “all superficial” having cut his knee as he fell and suffered bruising from the strike to his face.

However the campaigner added he had reported a number of such instances to police with little progress in the past.

It comes a year after then-MP Anna Soubry was harassed by self-styled yellow vest protester James Goddard, who called the former Change UK party leader a Nazi and a traitor and was, in turn, handed a suspended prison sentence.

Mr Bray added: “We report these people time and time again and not one of them has been prosecuted yet.

“I mean what Anna Soubry went through was horrendous, she had five to 10 minutes of it — we’ve had hour after hour after hour of this off these particular groups.”

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: ”Police were called at around 14:50hrs on Saturday, 18 January to reports of an assault on Horse Guards Road, Westminster.

“A man and a woman, both in their 50s, reported they had been verbally abused by a number of men as they walked down the road. One of the suspects then assaulted the male.

“Neither required medical assistance. The suspects had left the area prior to police arrival; no arrests have been made.”