‘Brexit means Brexit!’ Rally outside British parliament demands swift exit from EU (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
A crowd of 'Brexiteers' gathered outside the British parliament to urge a speedy exit from the European Union. Demonstrators accused the government of using loopholes to prevent the departure from taking place.
The Wednesday protest reportedly drew around 200 people, with demonstrators shouting "What do we want? Brexit! When do we want it? Now!" during the event.
Others held banners including slogans such as "Hard Brexit Now" and "Theresa May, don't delay. We want Brexit right away."
The demonstrators said they're frustrated with the British government, as very little has been done to begin the exit process since the June 23 vote to leave the European Union.
They're calling on Article 50 - the process by which Britain will leave the EU - to be triggered immediately, with some claiming the government is trying to "undermine" those who voted for the UK to leave the bloc.
"There's an attempt to undermine that referendum result...and there's an attempt going on to try and undermine us and portray us in a negative fashion, and secondly to use loopholes in the law to try and prevent Article 50 from being enacted. That's clearly what's going on at the moment, and people are angry about it," conservative MP David Davies told RT.
Pro #Brexit protesters saying UKGov is delaying process, democracy is dead if will of the people is not respected asap pic.twitter.com/hzURykCXwd
— Anastasia Churkina (@NastiaChurkina) 23 November 2016
The crowd of around 200 people was a far cry from the 2,000 who had reportedly confirmed their attendance. Pro-Brexit groups invited around 15,000 people to the event, according to The Independent.
The demonstration was organized by a number of groups including The People's Charter, Brexit Feet, Young Britons for Liberty, and Brexit Revolution. Smaller protests also took place across the UK.
Filming the Brexit #AutumnStatement protest- every taxi, lorry and van going past beeped their support pic.twitter.com/CBGsdV8viA
— Helen Chandler-Wilde (@HL_CW) November 23, 2016
The protest was timed to coincide with Chancellor Philip Hammond's Autumn Statement, with organizers writing on Facebook that "the world's media will be covering the event, giving the 52 percent [who voted for Brexit] maximum exposure to make their voices heard."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Theresa May once again reiterated on Wednesday that Article 50 would be triggered by March.
"The vote was held, the turnout was high, the public gave their verdict. There must be no second referendum, no attempt to weasel out of this. This is the government that will deliver on the vote of the British people," she told parliament.
Pro #Brexit#protest taking place outside #UK#Parliament, protesters demand #Article50 now @RT_compic.twitter.com/pOXTPE4tqj
— Anastasia Churkina (@NastiaChurkina) 23 November 2016
However, the British High Court has decided that the triggering of Article 50 will not take place until MPs are able to speak on the issue. The government is appealing that decision.
Another London demonstration is currently scheduled to take place on December 4.
A total of 17.4 million people - 51.9 percent of voters - chose to leave the EU in the Brexit referendum, while 48.1 percent, or 16.1 million people, voted to stay.