Latest news with #StopBrexit
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Stop Brexit man' cleared over noisy protest
An anti-Brexit activist has been cleared of breaching a police ban after playing music on loudspeakers at a protest outside Parliament in London. Steve Bray, 56, faced trial over the incident on Parliament Square, which took place before then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was questioned by MPs in the House of Commons on 20 March last year. Mr Bray, known as "Stop Brexit man", denied the charge and had previously told the court playing music was part of his "fundamental right to protest". On Monday, Mr Bray was found not guilty of failing to follow a police order, in a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Handing down his judgement, Deputy District Judge Anthony Woodcock said of Mr Bray: "He admitted that he is 'anti-Tory', which is his words. "He believes his is an important message to disseminate. He needs the volume that he uses the get the message across from Parliament Street to the Palace of Westminster." The defendant, from Port Talbot, south Wales, looked up to the public gallery and was given a thumbs up by one of his supporters following the verdict. Speaking outside the court after the verdict, Mr Bray said: "Today is a very important day, not just for us as protesters, but for everybody's freedom of expression. "Whatever your protest is, this is a victory for you." When asked whether he would continue to play music at protests outside Parliament, the activist said he planned to "carry on as we are". Mr Bray is known for playing loud music at protests in Westminster, including D:Ream's Things Can Only Get Better at the gates of Downing Street when Sunak announced the general election in the pouring rain last May. Police approached Mr Bray at about 11:20 on 20 March last year, minutes before Sunak arrived ahead of Prime Minister's Questions. Mr Bray had been playing edits of the Muppets and Darth Vader themes on his speakers. The songs were used "as the prime minister came in, which is what we always did for Rishi - apparently he's a Star Wars fan", the activist told the court. Officers handed him a map and a notice that warned him he was prohibited from playing the speakers in the controlled area under a by-law, the court heard. The court heard the music resumed intermittently and shortly after 12:33, officers seized the speakers. Mr Bray had been accused of failing without reasonable excuse to comply with a direction given under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 "re prohibited activities in Parliament Square". His trial previously heard Mr Bray had told police their map, illustrating where he could not use the speakers, was incorrect. Body-worn footage featured Mr Bray, wearing a yellow and blue top hat, repeatedly telling police "you've got the wrong map". He said it was outdated and officers would learn that by asking someone higher up in the chain of command. When told he was not allowed to play the music there, Mr Bray stuck his fingers in his ears and said: "No it's not, it's not, not here - it's not wrong here", the court heard. "I know what I can't do", he said, suggesting officers stick it "where the sun don't shine" before lighting a cigarette and looking away. Several witnesses described to the court the negative impact of Mr Bray's music, heard as high as the sixth floor in nearby buildings. After hearing this, Mr Bray apologised at an earlier court hearing.
The Hill
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hill
Britain's ‘Stop Brexit Man' acquitted by judge over his musical protests outside Parliament
LONDON (AP) — An anti- Brexit activist who has spent years mounting a one-man protest outside Britain's Parliament won a court victory on Monday against a police attempt to pull the plug on his musical activities. A judge in London cleared Steve Bray, known as 'Stop Brexit Man,' of failing to comply with a police order to stop playing amplified music in Parliament Square on March 20, 2024. Bray, 56, came to prominence in the years after Britain's 2016 vote to leave the European Union by bellowing 'Stop Brexit' near television reporters during live broadcasts while wearing a top hat in the blue and yellow of the EU flag. More recently he has taken to playing satirically tinged songs before Parliament's weekly Prime Minister's Questions session, including the theme from 'The Muppet Show' and Darth Vader's theme from 'Star Wars.' He blasted 'Things Can Only Get Better' outside 10 Downing St. while then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called an election in May 2024. Bray, who represented himself during his trial, argued that the music was part of his 'fundamental right to protest,' and Deputy District Judge Anthony Woodcock agreed. Handing down a not-guilty verdict at Westminster Magistrates' Court, the judge said Bray believes he has 'an important message to disseminate.' 'How he chooses to express those views is a matter for him,' the judge said, noting that 'lampooning the government through satire is a long tradition in this country.' After the verdict, Bray said that 'today is a very important day, not just for us as protesters, but for everybody's freedom of expression and their right to protest.' 'Regardless what side of the fence you're on, whatever your protest is, this is a victory for you,' he said.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Britain's 'Stop Brexit Man' acquitted by judge over his musical protests outside Parliament
LONDON (AP) — An anti- Brexit activist who has spent years mounting a one-man protest outside Britain's Parliament won a court victory on Monday against a police attempt to pull the plug on his musical activities. A judge in London cleared Steve Bray, known as 'Stop Brexit Man,' of failing to comply with a police order to stop playing amplified music in Parliament Square on March 20, 2024. Bray, 56, came to prominence in the years after Britain's 2016 vote to leave the European Union by bellowing 'Stop Brexit' near television reporters during live broadcasts while wearing a top hat in the blue and yellow of the EU flag. More recently he has taken to playing satirically tinged songs before Parliament's weekly Prime Minister's Questions session, including the theme from 'The Muppet Show' and Darth Vader's theme from 'Star Wars.' He blasted 'Things Can Only Get Better' outside 10 Downing St. while then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called an election in May 2024. Bray, who represented himself during his trial, argued that the music was part of his 'fundamental right to protest,' and Deputy District Judge Anthony Woodcock agreed. Handing down a not-guilty verdict at Westminster Magistrates' Court, the judge said Bray believes he has 'an important message to disseminate.' 'How he chooses to express those views is a matter for him,' the judge said, noting that 'lampooning the government through satire is a long tradition in this country.' After the verdict, Bray said that 'today is a very important day, not just for us as protesters, but for everybody's freedom of expression and their right to protest.' 'Regardless what side of the fence you're on, whatever your protest is, this is a victory for you,' he said.
Associated Press
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Britain's 'Stop Brexit Man' acquitted by judge over his musical protests outside Parliament
LONDON (AP) — An anti- Brexit activist who has spent years mounting a one-man protest outside Britain's Parliament won a court victory on Monday against a police attempt to pull the plug on his musical activities. A judge in London cleared Steve Bray, known as 'Stop Brexit Man,' of failing to comply with a police order to stop playing amplified music in Parliament Square on March 20, 2024. Bray, 56, came to prominence in the years after Britain's 2016 vote to leave the European Union by bellowing 'Stop Brexit' near television reporters during live broadcasts while wearing a top hat in the blue and yellow of the EU flag. More recently he has taken to playing satirically tinged songs before Parliament's weekly Prime Minister's Questions session, including the theme from 'The Muppet Show' and Darth Vader's theme from 'Star Wars.' He blasted 'Things Can Only Get Better' outside 10 Downing St. while then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called an election in May 2024. Bray, who represented himself during his trial, argued that the music was part of his 'fundamental right to protest,' and Deputy District Judge Anthony Woodcock agreed. Handing down a not-guilty verdict at Westminster Magistrates' Court, the judge said Bray believes he has 'an important message to disseminate.' 'How he chooses to express those views is a matter for him,' the judge said, noting that 'lampooning the government through satire is a long tradition in this country.' After the verdict, Bray said that 'today is a very important day, not just for us as protesters, but for everybody's freedom of expression and their right to protest.' 'Regardless what side of the fence you're on, whatever your protest is, this is a victory for you,' he said.
BBC News
14-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
'Stop Brexit man' Steve Bray cleared over noisy protest
An anti-Brexit activist has been cleared of breaching a police ban after playing music on loudspeakers at a protest outside Parliament in Bray, 56, faced trial over the incident on Parliament Square, which took place before then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was questioned by MPs in the House of Commons on 20 March last known as "Stop Brexit man", denied the charge and had previously told the court playing music was part of his "fundamental right to protest".On Monday, Bray was found not guilty of failing to follow a police order, in a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court. Handing down his judgement, Deputy District Judge Anthony Woodcock said of Bray: "He admitted that he is 'anti-Tory', which is his words."He believes his is an important message to disseminate. He needs the volume that he uses the get the message across from Parliament Street to the Palace of Westminster."The defendant, from Port Talbot, south Wales, looked up to the public gallery and was given a thumbs up by one of his supporters following the is known for playing loud music at protests in Westminster, including D:Ream's Things Can Only Get Better at the gates of Downing Street when Sunak announced the general election in the pouring rain last approached Bray at about 11:20 on 20 March last year, minutes before Sunak arrived ahead of Prime Minister's had been playing edits of the Muppets and Darth Vader themes on his songs were used "as the prime minister came in, which is what we always did for Rishi - apparently he's a Star Wars fan", the activist told the handed him a map and a notice that warned him he was prohibited from playing the speakers in the controlled area under a by-law, the court court heard the music resumed intermittently and shortly after 12:33, officers seized the speakers. Bray had been accused of failing without reasonable excuse to comply with a direction given under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 "re prohibited activities in Parliament Square".His trial previously heard Bray had told police their map, illustrating where he could not use the speakers, was footage featured Bray, wearing a yellow and blue top hat, repeatedly telling police "you've got the wrong map".He said it was outdated and officers would learn that by asking someone higher up in the chain of told he was not allowed to play the music there, Bray stuck his fingers in his ears and said: "No it's not, it's not, not here - it's not wrong here", the court heard."I know what I can't do", he said, suggesting officers stick it "where the sun don't shine" before lighting a cigarette and looking witnesses described to the court the negative impact of Bray's music, heard as high as the sixth floor in nearby hearing this, Bray apologised at an earlier court hearing.
