Brexit latest: Anna Soubry cancels rally speech over fear of pro-Leave protesters in Parliament Square

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Katy Clifton7 September 2019
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Anna Soubry has said she is "too frightened" to speak at an anti-Brexit rally in Parliament Square due to intimidation from pro-Leave protesters.

The anti-Brexit MP and leader of the Independent Group for Change had been scheduled to speak at the March for Change rally.

However shortly before the event, the MP told organisers she was too frightened to speak due to intimidation from counter-protests held by the Democratic Football Lads Alliance (DFLA).

Ms Soubry told PA: "I don't know what I'm going to do. It's awful but there's also a side of me that thinks that this is our country.

"I'm a parliamentarian and I have a right to speak and I shouldn't be frightened but it's very, very, very disturbing, and I'm very frightened actually."

Protesters in Parliament Square
PA

After consulting with the police and protest organisers, Ms Soubry left the rally, telling officers she did not want to cause additional issues for them as they monitored both events.

Other speakers still scheduled to speak at the event include Green Party co-leader Sian Berry and human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

It comes as Remainers and Brexiteers clashed on Parliament Squares during protests on Saturday afternoon.

About 200 people joined a pro-Brexit demonstration organised by the DFLA and clashed with the anti-Brexit group March for Change.

A pro-Brexit protesters outside the Houses of Parliament
PA

As the latter began to set up for a rally of their own, some members of the DFLA approached and began shouting.

A beer can was thrown towards about 10 people from the March for Change protest before police, who knew about both protests prior to Saturday, on horseback intervened.

Large crowds of officers were seen blocking off opposing groups.

A blimp in the shape of Boris Johnson had been set to fly at the March for Change.

However after the altercation with the DFLA, March for Change organisers told the PA news agency the blimp would not fly, as it was feared it would become a target.

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