Thousands take to the streets to tell Johnson where to stick it
Thousands of people have taken to the streets across the UK to protest against Boris Johnson and his right-wing government’s attack on democracy.
Stop the coup!
On 28 August, Johnson asked the queen to suspend parliament. Now, as we hurtle towards the Brexit deadline on 31 October, MPs only have two short windows to either secure a Brexit deal or to pass a new one. The process of ending a parliamentary session is formally called proroguing parliament.
Critics, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, believe it’s an attempt to force through a no-deal Brexit. Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has described it as a “coup”.
Protests were called across the country for Saturday 31 August to “Defend democracy. Resist the parliament shutdown”. These protests were called because: “we can’t just rely on the courts or parliamentary process to save the day”.
So on 31 August, thousands of people gathered in London:
Stop the COUP!!! STOP THE COUP!!! Amazing!!! Look at this!!! @OwenJones84 pic.twitter.com/WmoD4Yecq4
— ARTIST TAXI DRIVER (@chunkymark) August 31, 2019
LOOK AT THIS 😍@BorisJohnson, you can't claim to represent the will of the people. We didn't vote for you and you don't speak for us.
Together, we will bring down this government. #StopTheCoup #BorisOutpic.twitter.com/BfzkCdQmT1
— Another Europe is Possible 🧡 (@Another_Europe) August 31, 2019
Speakers included Labour’s Diane Abbott:
https://twitter.com/HaringeyLU/status/1167761120679141376
Dawn Butler and Barry Gardiner also spoke out:
“What we are seeing is naked aggression by a ‘Brexit Elite’ against the people of this country” @BarryGardiner “I am getting a new sleeping bag” @DawnButlerBrent on parliament Bring Prorogued and occupying the green benches pic.twitter.com/MXazACvjp2
— ARTIST TAXI DRIVER (@chunkymark) August 31, 2019
With an aim to cause as much disruption as possible, some people also blocked Westminster Bridge:
#DefendOurDemocracy #StopTheCoup
Westminster Bridge blocked pic.twitter.com/4zoN9LwcxT— Michael Cubey (@michaelcubey) August 31, 2019
“Smash and grab raid on our democracy”
Corbyn, meanwhile, thanked those who protested in Glasgow and criticised Johnson’s “smash and grab raid on our democracy”:
I thank everyone who has taken to the streets here in Glasgow and across the whole country to oppose Boris Johnson's smash and grab raid on our democracy.
We'll do everything possible to stop a disastrous No Deal for which this Tory government has no mandate. #DefendOurDemocracy pic.twitter.com/5tgRT4EjHw
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) August 31, 2019
And protests took place around the country:
Plymouth, Glasgow, Bristol, Leeds, not necessarily in that order.. Just a few of the protests today. #DefendOurDemocracy #ThePeopleVJohnson pic.twitter.com/GyifPogUth
— Prof Gayle Letherby (@gletherby) August 31, 2019
Cirencester here #StopTheCoup
Conservatibe party members as well as LibDem & Greens all present & determined to prevent this outrage & #StopTheCoup #StopBrexitSaveDemocracy #SaveBritain pic.twitter.com/Yw3Ii6HI7O— PauleFoster🇪🇺 🐈💙🌻🇺🇦#FBPE#ProgressveAlliance (@FaBPaule) August 31, 2019
More photos from Bournemouth @Dorset4E @Southbourne4EU @Bournemouthecho #DefendOurDemocracy #StopTheCoup pic.twitter.com/2oOFznE3Q1
— Tracy Bee (@chalkntalk1) August 31, 2019
Hey #SkyNews #bbcnews we have protest in our country to #DefendOurDemocracy why don’t you show some balls and cover it instead of covering up for a tinpot dictator Johnson pic.twitter.com/BqLahZ4chf
— James (@Jaduk99) August 31, 2019
We’re not even a week into Johnson’s disgusting attack on democracy, but the people are rising, revolting, and long may that continue. One thing’s for sure if we want to stop Johnson, these protests need to be louder and more disruptive than ever before.
Featured image via screengrab
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And all the BBC R4 news kept saying was how few people there were, only a few thousand in London and a few hundred everywhere else. They spent longer talking about Hong Kong.
BBC has always been a government and Zionist tool.
Was it Owen Jones making that fine call to action? Could it be the same Owen Jones who was writing rabid anti-Corbyn articles for the Guardian? Surely not!
I think this was the “Plan” even before the 2016 Referendum so I don”t see it as a smash, and grab.
This has been well thought out with support from the Trump Regime Change People I’d say even before Trump was elected.
Imagine a coup of a democracy who is unaware it’s happening.
The Americans do it on the sly all the time, and now is turning upon an ally.
This beginning of a revolution against these crazy power schemers will be really interesting to watch.
A new door has been opened for us to walk through by the Tory suspension of Parliament, and Winner Takes All mentality.
The Monarchy will never have any credibility after this.
Everywhere in the Commonwealth who has a representive of the Queen will come under the question of “We need a different way to preserve our noble aspirations, and intellect from corrosive partisian politics.