I was gutted by the referendum results. Britain had voted to leave the European Union and, to me, this seemed a triumph of xenophobia and distrust of the ruling classes. So, on Sunday 2nd July we took the train to London for a demonstration against Brexit.
We headed for Park Lane but, as soon as we reached Hyde Park Corner, we saw crowds of people assembling. The subways under the roads were jammed and it was a while before we emerged into the open air. We were looking for the Green Party, but the throng swallowed us, blocking the road and pavements. We tried climbing up into a green space between trees but came to a dead end at a junction.
The demonstration had been organised in a hurry, so many marchers flourished home made placards. Some featured unflattering photos and cartoons of Boris Johnson, Nigel Farage and Michael Gove. Many of the slogans used puns. ‘I can’t live without EU’, ‘We’ll be missing EU’. Others called ‘Tories out’, and ‘Lies Don’t Make a Mandate.’ Everywhere people carried EU flags. Many of the marchers were young and we heard several languages spoken. For an hour, the crowd stood, throbbing with clapping and chanting. Whenever onlookers cheered or waved, there was a roar of approval. A woman guest at the Hilton Hotel ventured out onto her balcony in the nude, to a roar from the crowd.
Eventually, we shuffled down Piccadilly, completely filling the road. An occasional shower made little difference, except producing a flurry of umbrellas in the EU colours. Waves of chanting ran down the throng. ‘What do we want? EU. When do we want it? Now.’ Some marchers unfurled a huge EU flag down the middle of the road, floating over heads. The marchers fanned out across Whitehall and stopped at the entrance to Downing Street. People yelled ‘Shame on you’ in the direction of number 10. A line of policemen, with yellow jackets over their uniforms, stood impassive.
The clouds cleared and the temperature rose as we reached Parliament Square. It was packed with people listening to the speakers. Although a big screen and loudspeakers had been erected, from the edge of the throng, it was difficult to see and hear. We peeled off and went in search of lunch.
I get the impression the real winner from these events is the city itself. London copes well with demonstrations. The police stand by but remain calm. Spectators stare and take photos. London remains a tolerant, multi-racial, vibrant city. Let’s keep it that way.
dreaminginstone 