Hundreds of ‘yellow vest’ protesters rally in central London

of demonstrators wearing yellow vests took to the streets of London on Saturday, in the largest protest yet in Britain copying the “yellow vest” protests rocking France.

Protesters opposed to the government’s austerity program and demanding a general election marched through the center of the capital before rallying in Trafalgar Square.

They included two French activists involved in the demonstrations sweeping France since mid-November who were invited by the organizers of the British event.

“We are here in support,” said Erick Simon, 61, one of the duo.

“I think that the yellow vest movement in France is the same as the one that is growing in England... people are fed up with poverty, injustice and

HUNDREDS

social and financial injustice.” The French protests began in mid-November over a proposed increase in fuel duties, and soon turned violent.

The leaderless movement appeared to be petering out at the end of 2018 but has since regained momentum, with weekly marches seen in Paris and other French cities.

Britain has seen several small protests by Brexit supporters wearing yellow vests since November, but other activists have been slow to adopt the symbolic attire and movement.

Saturday’s event, organized by the left-wing “People’s Assembly” group, saw mainstream opposition lawmakers join forces with several unions and other organizations focused on causes ranging from refugees to racism.

Addressing the crowd in Trafalgar Square, the Labour Party’s shadow finance minister John McDonnell said eight years of austerity under the ruling Conservatives was “tearing apart the very social fabric” of Britain.

“We need a general election now to bring about the fairer, more equal society we all want to live in,” he said.

Retired teacher Stephen Hamer, 59, clad in a yellow vest, said the London protest would likely have occurred without the movement in France, but it had “helped things along”.

“I think we need a change in government very urgently,” he added. “The UK is falling apart - nothing works anymore.”

A separate demonstration by dozens of Brexit supporters wearing yellow vests also took place in central London on Saturday.

At the outset, police arrested one of the organizers on suspicion of a public order offence. It reportedly related to a controversial incident outside parliament on Monday, when a group harangued pro-EU figures, including chanting “Nazi” at prominent Remain supporting MP Anna Soubry during live TV interviews.

The event sparked a national debate in the UK as left wing figureheads never refrained from accusing their opponents of being “Nazis” and “Fascists,” however when Soubry was accused of being a Nazi she took great offense and accused the group of being “Fascists.”

“It does cross the line actually,” she said as she called her mockers Nazis.

Apparently the event created such controversy that the New Scotland Yard is looking into whether calling somebody a Nazi is a criminal offense under hate crime legislation.