‘Hundreds of thousands’ expected at disruptive protests across UK

Organisers are hoping “hundreds of thousands” of people will take part in disruptive protests across Britain this weekend in response to the prime minister’s plan to prorogue Parliament.

Anti-Brexit campaign group Another Europe Is Possible has organised 32 #StopTheCoup demonstrations to take place in Scotland, England and Wales today.

Meanwhile, left-wing group Momentum is calling on its members to “occupy bridges and blockade roads” in conjunction with the protests.

Michael Chessum, national organiser for Another Europe Is Possible, said that “disruption is the only form of leverage protesters can rely on”.

He said the group is not encouraging demonstrators to block roads, but that kind of disruption is “certainly possible”.

He added: “We would go further than anticipate (civil disobedience). We would defend it.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has urged MPs to join the demonstrations and oppose the shutdown of Parliament.

In a letter to the Parliamentary Labour Party, he said: “I am addressing a major rally in Salford on Monday. But there are also public protests across the country tomorrow, there will be a rally in Parliament Square on Tuesday evening, and I encourage Labour MPs to be present and to share our message.”

Labour MP Clive Lewis also called for people to support the #StopTheCoup protests.

The shadow treasury minister said: “The right to peacefully protest and show your displeasure and anger is a long-held British tradition.”

The right to peacefully protest and show your displeasure and anger is a longheld British tradition. CLIVE LEWIS, SHADOW TREASURY MINISTER

Hundreds of thousands of people are ready to take to the streets to demand Boris Johnson reverses his decision to prorogue parliament, if organisers are to be believed.

Supported by the Labour leadership, campaign groups are mobilising for what they envisage will be one of the biggest acts of civil disobedience ever seen in the UK.

One group is calling for supporters to “occupy bridges and blockade roads” during rallies across the country.

They have been careful to warn against lawlessness or violence, rightly acknowledging this will serve no purpose.

Opponents may liken the actions of protesters to those of a toddler, stamping their feet and screaming because they have not got their way.

However, it is their democratic right, provided they stay within the law, to make as much noise as they wish.

Despite what is now being said by Cabinet members, a no deal exit from the European Union was consistently ruled out during the referendum.

Equally, several people, currently backing Boris Johnson, spoke out against proroguing.

Parliament has been outmanoeuvred – at least for the time being – by hardline Leavers.

There seems little other option for people to make their voices heard.

The right to such protest – and counter-protest – is the very essence of democracy.