Saturday December 28, 2024

Protesters march in London for new vote on Brexit

Published : 20 Oct 2018, 19:42

Updated : 20 Oct 2018, 19:48

  DF-Xinhua Report
File Photo Xinhua.

Nearly 700,000 people marched in London on Saturday afternoon demanding a second Brexit referendum.

The People's Vote March demonstration surprised authorities and organizers with its size, which London's municipal police force had estimated beforehand to be up to 100,000 people.

The organizing body, People's Vote, estimated the turnout on the march and rally to be 670,000 people.

At the head of the march were political figures from all three major British political parties.

Vince Cable, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, was the most senior political figure present who was joined by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, former Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, former Conservative government minister Anna Soubry and former shadow front bench Labour Party minister Chuka Umunna.

Cable told a rally in Parliament Square outside the Houses of Parliament: "There is no deal better than the one we have now: it is better for Britain and better for Europe."

Khan told the crowd in a speech: "The lies, the mistruths and the deceptions of the referendum campaign have now been exposed, and it's clear the will of the people is changing."

"No one voted to leave the EU to make themselves poorer. No one voted for the shambles that this government has created."

A spokesperson for People's Vote said in a statement: "We are demanding our democratic voice be heard on Brexit... We now know the true cost of the divorce bill, as well as the impact of Brexit on the NHS, workers' rights and public services."

The People's Vote March was organized by groups supporting remaining in the EU, among them are Open Britain, Wales for Europe, and Britain for Europe.

The Metropolitan Police said that there had been no trouble on the march and that no arrests had been made.