ONE MILLION ATTEND ANTI-BREXIT MARCH IN LONDON

Posted by Jim on March 24, 2019

A huge protest against Brexit in London today [Saturday] is thought to
be one of the biggest in British history.

The protest comes as Theresa May’s government in London inched forward
once again towards the cliff-edge of a crash Brexit. Repeatedly defeated
by her own MPs on a deal to withdraw from Europe, May has failed to
identify any other option after almost three years of negotiations.

An additional period of two weeks for a deal to be approved was agreed
this week by EU leaders after May had sought an extension to the March
29 deadline. The European Council also allowed for a preparation period
for a crash Brexit until only May 22, avoiding the possibility of
Britain and the north of Ireland taking part in European Parliament
elections.

A clear message was sent by the estimated one million people marched on
Westminster today. The ‘Put it to the People’ demonstration called on
the London parliament to give voters in Britain the right to say ‘yes’
or ‘no’ to whatever deal MPs finally come up with on Brexit.

The huge march was even bigger than the previous demonstration organised
by the grassroots People’s Vote campaign back in October 2018, which was
attended by around 700,000 people.

Demonstrators wore blue and yellow berets and flew large EU flags above
the crowd as the march slowly made its way to Parliament Square.
Placards bore messages urging the Tories to “revoke article 50” and for
Brexit to be put to the people.

The deputy leader of the Labour opposition party, Tom Watson, told
demonstrators the only way to resolve the Brexit impasse is “for people
themselves to sign it off”. Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said
that “this is now the moment of maximum opportunity… the EU’s decision
to postpone things until at least April 12 has opened a window, and
those of us who oppose Brexit must seize the chance it offers.”

Meanwhile, a petition site operated by the British government hit a
record of 4.5 million signatories calling for the Brexit process to be
suspended.

The scale of the crisis facing Britain and Ireland was made clear this
week when it emerged plans were advanced to house a Brexit military
operations center in a reinforced concrete bunker in the Whitehall area
of London. Meanwhile, the leaders of British business and labor unions
set aside their differences to make a joint appeal to Theresa May to
change course or risk an economic disaster.

Top officials at the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades
Union Congress said Thursday that Britain faces a “national emergency”
if Tory racists and unionist hardliners succeed in pulling Britain, and
the north of Ireland, out of the EU without a trade deal.

Reports suggested European leaders were bewildered at Mrs May’s
unwillingness to set out her plans should she fail to win support of
Westminster MPs for the deal this week, at a third time of asking,
despite evidence that she could be landed with an even larger defeat
than last time.

The 26 County Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said events were in “uncharted
territory. I’ve almost given up speculating on what’s going to happen
next.”

Sinn Fein MP Chris Hazzard said that Brexiteers in the DUP and Tory
party need to accept reality and change course. He said the two-week
extension “does not solve Brexit or avoid the possibility of a
devastating crash-out.”

BORDER PROTEST

Meanwhile, Border Communities against Brexit are going ahead with a
major anti-Brexit protest for various points on the border through
Ireland on Saturday March 30th at 3:00pm.

These mobilisations will take place at border crossings at: Old Dublin
Road, Carrickcarnon; Belcoo-Blacklion; Aghalane; Moybridge, Aughnacloy;
Lifford Bridge; and Bridgend.

“We are asking everyone living along the border, on either side, to make
an effort to attend their nearest demonstration,” they said in a
Facebook post.

“We are calling on all trade unions, representative groups, civic
leaders and citizens to join with us in demonstrating our anger at being
taken out of the EU and our opposition to any return to a hard border in
Ireland.

“We will be sending to a very clear message that the people of the
border region and, indeed, the people of Ireland will not acquiesce in
any construction of new border installations, Customs posts or on any
restriction of movement in their own country.

“We will not tolerate any new hard border in Ireland. It is time to make
your voice heard. It is time for action. It is time to protest. Join
with us on the border on 30th March.”