Brexit: At least 60 anti-prorogation protests planned across Britain

Tens of thousands could in defiance of PM’s attempt ‘to shut down our democracy’

At least 60 protests have been planned in cities and towns across Britain this weekend in response to prime minister Boris Johnson’s decision to prorogue parliament.

Hours after the Queen approved Mr Johnson’s plan, thousands took the streets of at least 10 cities including London, Manchester, Glasgow and Cardiff.

A petition demanding Mr Johnson reverse his decision to suspend the Commons garnered more than 1.5 million signatories.

Tens of thousands expressed their interest on social media for demonstrations titled “Stop the Coup, Defend Democracy”, organised by a coalition of Remain campaigners including Another Europe is Possible.

“Boris Johnson is trying to shut down our democracy so that he can deliver on his Brexit agenda,” organisers wrote on Facebook. “We we can’t just rely on the courts or parliamentary process to save the day. We all have a duty to stand up and be counted.”

The protests this weekend have been mapped by Tech for UK, a pro-Remain group campaigning for a “Final Say” vote.

A spokesperson said they had asked certain event organisers to relocate away from constituency offices and politicians’ homes to public spaces in order to keep MPs, their staff and their families, safe.

Tech for UK’s data, in conjunction with local media and social media reports, suggests more than 20 protests took place, hours after Mr Johnson’s decision.

Demonstrators amassed in city centres across Britain, including Manchester’s Albert Square, College Green in Bristol, and close to Cardiff’s Aneurin Bevan statue. Thousands spilled out around into the streets around Parliament Square.

Holding placards that read “Johnson out” and “resist the parliament shutdown”, outraged citizens remained gathered in Westminster late into the night. Some performed sit-ins, blocking bus-loads of bewildered tourists while chanting “if you shut down parliament, we shut down the streets”.

Others shouted “no one voted for Boris” at the gates of Downing Street, guarded by police. Politicians from the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green parties were among the crowds.

Leader of the Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg described the protests as “phoney” to the BBC and insisted the PM’s plans to suspend parliament for a month in the run-up to the EU withdrawal date was unrelated to Brexit.

“I think the outrage is phoney and it is created by people who don’t want us to leave the European Union and are trying very hard to overturn the referendum result and don’t want the benefits of leaving the European Union,” Mr Rees-Mogg said.

Other party leaders denounced Mr Johnson’s plan and House of Commons speaker John Bercow declared prorogation an assault on democracy.

Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon likened his decision to that of “a tin pot dictator”.

A YouGov poll suggested just 27 per cent of all voters in the UK approved of Mr Johnson’s plans, while 49 per cent per cent of Leave voters did not agree or were unsure and 72 per cent of Remain voters disagreed.

However, nearly one in 10 said Mr Johnson’s decision to suspend parliament for more than a month ahead of 31 October was acceptable.

Despite the wide opposition to the move, so far the numbers expected to protest fall short of March’s “Put it to the People” demonstration. But with the threat of prorogation and a no-deal Brexit, Wednesday’s protests suggested a more urgent opposition.

As thousands gathered on Parliament Square former Channel 4 journalist Paul Mason led the crowds in a call and response chant.

“We are coming for you Boris Johnson,” the crowd repeated. ”Ready or f****** not.”