'Stop Brexit Man' anti-Tory protester Steve Bray could be prosecuted, police say

An anti-Brexit and anti-Conservative protester has had his amplifiers seized outside Parliament and could be prosecuted, police have said.

Steve Bray, known as the "Stop Brexit Man", was demonstrating in Westminster when police took the equipment in line with new laws that came into force on Tuesday.

Under the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act, noisy protests are forbidden in a designated area outside the Houses of Parliament.

Social media videos showed Mr Bray struggling with officers and telling them "hands off" as they took his kit, with one responding: "You've already been warned not to turn it on."

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In another video posted on the protester's Twitter account, a police officer was heard telling Mr Bray he would be summoned to court to get his amplifiers back, while other officers could be heard warning him he could be arrested if he continued to use speakers to play music.

The Metropolitan Police said Mr Bray, who has vowed to return with amplifiers, was reported over the offence - meaning he will be considered for prosecution

Speaking after the incident, he said: "Under this new law, this fascist law that's been rushed through Parliament, taking away our rights to protest, they want protesters to just stand there with their hands folded.

"But protest is all about sound and vision, without that you're not a protest, but they don't want dissent and they don't like me.

"The police came along, they said if we carry on they'll take them away, so I'm carrying on as normal and they seized them.

"I tried to stop them and more and more police officers came and took the amps.

"I've been told that I have been summoned and I'll have to go to court and they're being held as evidence, I'm gonna elect trial by jury and let's hope it's 12 Remainers."

The action by police was welcomed by former minister and Conservative MP Andrea Leadsom, who tweeted: "Steve Bray has spent six years screaming abuse through a loudhailer at me and many others as often as he saw us for the 'crime' of trying to fulfil the democratic decision of the UK to leave the EU.

"This action by the police to stop his violent protest is very welcome."

But Labour MP and former shadow justice secretary Richard Burgon condemned the new law, adding: "For years, Steve Bray has protested outside the building my office is in. It's loud and, at times, annoying - just as protests should be!

"It's another sign of the creeping authoritarianism of this government that the new anti-protest laws are being used to target such protests."