Search icon

News

14th Dec 2018

British ‘yellow vest’ protesters block Westminster bridge in support of Brexit

Westminster bridge was blocked this morning by pro-Brexit protesters dressed in yellow vests who were chanting pro-Brexit songs

Reuben Pinder

Between 30 and 60 protesters are reported to have chanted pro-Brexit songs

Pro-Brexit protesters took to the streets on Friday morning and blocked Westminster bridge.

A live stream, hosted on Facebook page ‘Fighting for Justice’, showed activists blocking the bridge before they were moved on by police.

Dressed similarly to the yellow vest protesters seen in Paris over the past week, protesters in London moved from Westminster bridge to outside Downing Street.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said they were aware of the protest and added there were not any arrests.

Two protesters were filmed holding up a Union Jack on the bridge.

Pro-Brexit chants were heard during the protest. Between 30 and 60 people are believed to have chanted: “What do we want? Brexit! When do we want it? Now!”

They also called for Theresa May’s resignation and took aim at Sadiq Khan, chanting “we need a new mayor of London”.

Transport for London tweeted: “Buses serving routes via Westminster Bridge Road may be delayed because of a demonstration which is blocking the road.”

The inspiration for the yellow vests comes after French protestors brought Paris to a standstill on consecutive weekends demanding an increase to the minimum wage and other social improvements, along with a tax cut.

Emmanuel Macron has responded to the protests by lifting the minimum wage. In a TV address lasting 12 minutes, he said a month of rioting and blockades justified a €100 (£90) increase in the minimum wage, taking it to €1498 (£1360).

Raising the minimum wage “cost anything to the employer’, said Macron, who confirmed that it will be accompanied by all taxes and other charges on overtimes being scrapped.

The generous package of measures represents a massive U-turn by Macron who originally said he would not yield to rioting as he tried to liberalise the sluggish France economy.