Police use new protest law on lone Brexit campaigner

(Steve Bray/PA)
(Steve Bray/PA)

A long-time protester has had his loudspeaker confiscated outside Parliament after controversial new protest laws came into force.

Steve Bray, also known as the "Stop Brexit Man", has spent the last six years protesting outside the Houses of Parliament and other buildings in Whitehall shouting about a range of issues and confronting MPs.

But on Tuesday the former coin dealer and failed Liberal Democrat parliamentary candidate had his speaker equipment seized by police officers as he started setting up.

The Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act came into force today and Bray had already been told that, under the new legislation, he would be forbidden from holding a noisy protest within a designated area.

As of today, an offence of intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance can now be used by officers to stop disruptive "guerrilla protests".

Read more: Raft of major justice reforms come into force

Steve Bray posted on his Twitter account that he was being followed by police. (Steve Bray)
Steve Bray posted on his Twitter account that he was being followed by police. (Steve Bray)

The law is designed to curb disruptive protests such as Insulate Britain or Extinction Rebellion.

Speaking to LBC, Bray said: "I'm here, protesting as normal, I've been protesting for the last six years or so and the police warned me twice and I said, 'no, we're a protest, I'm not recognising this fascist law that Priti Patel has pushed through Parliament'.

"I put the amp on again... and they came over and started to seize the two amplifiers.

"I'm very angry but at the end of the day amplifiers are replaceable. We need more people here, we need more noise because I ain't going to let these b******* grind me down, none of us are."

Anti-Brexit protestor Steve Bray outside the Houses of Parliament in London ahead of Prime Minister Boris Johnson delivering a statement in the House of Commons on his new Brexit deal after the EU Council summit, on what has been dubbed
Steve Bray has been a familiar face outside Parliament for a number of years. (PA) (PA)

The top hat-wearing demonstrator is often seen in the area playing loud music in a protest sometimes coinciding with Prime Minister’s Questions.

Bray was known as the Stop Brexit Man because he used a megaphone to shout “Stop Brexit”.

In social media footage, Bray, who was surrounded by banners and European Union flags, could be seen struggling with officers and telling them “hands off” as they attempted to take the amplifiers.

An officer could be heard responding: “You’ve already been warned not to turn it on.”

Bray then demanded officers return a banner he said had been taken from him, before accusing them of breaking one of the amplifiers.

His hat could be seen falling off in the scuffle.

An increasingly irate Bray could be later heard shouting at officers: “You fascists! This is not law! Fascist mouthpiece.”

In another video on his Twitter account, a police officer was heard telling Bray he will be summoned to court over getting his amplifiers back.

Other officers could be heard warning Mr Bray he could be arrested if he continues using the speakers to play music in the area.

Yahoo News UK has contacted the Met Police for comment.

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