Protesters numbering in the hundreds gathered in London and across the United Kingdom to demonstrate after Queen Elizabeth II approved Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s request to suspend Parliament for five weeks in September and October.
#AbolishTheMonarchy was the top trending hashtag on Twitter on Wednesday night in the United Kingdom, which is facing a hard deadline to leave the European Union at the end of October. Some demonstrators characterized the move by the 55-year-old prime minister as a “coup,” according to the BBC.
More than a million people signed an online petition through the Parliament’s official website asking that the legislative body not be suspended. According to the website, the government responds to “all petitions that get more than 10,000 signatures.”
Opponents of the move believe that the suspension will leave too little time for the lawmakers to craft a deal before the Brexit deadline hits, thus forcing a no-deal Brexit.
Conservative cabinet minister Michael Gove, 52, pushed back on those accusations and said that the suspension was “certainly not” a political move to force a departure from the EU without a deal. He said there would be “plenty of time” before the Oct. 31 deadline for lawmakers to debate Brexit.
Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, 70, stated his vehement opposition to the move, describing it as “a smash and grab on our democracy.”
Johnson announced Wednesday that there would be a “Queen’s Speech” after Parliament returns. The speech is a tradition with the ruling monarch reading out the priorities and plans for the coming year. Despite the queen reading it, the speech itself will be written by members of the government.
Johnson said that the speech is a chance to outline his “very exciting agenda.”
Despite reassurances from Johnson and the ruling government, backlash to the suspension ensued both in the streets around the U.K. and online.
In the UK, a move to suspend Parliament by Prime Minister Boris Johnson (the “British Trump”)–in an attempt to facilitate Brexit–triggers massive spontaneous protests. Chants of #StopTheCoup. https://t.co/tEE9fHDgQx
— Jennifer Cohn (@jennycohn1) August 28, 2019
Powerful words from our shadow home secretary, Diane Abbott “This is Boris versus the people and the people are going to fight.” ✊#Newsnight #StopBorispic.twitter.com/zVYgwAjNVi
— Corbyn for PM (@CorbynASAP) August 28, 2019
Prince Andrew: “I’m so sorry. We’d been doing so well lately, PR-wise, but by being mates with a sex offender I’ve brought our family into the worst disrepute since Diana died. Nobody’s made us look this bad for years.”
Queen Elizabeth II: “Hold my beer.”#abolishthemonarchy
— Simon Price (@simon_price01) August 28, 2019
Hundreds of people have assembled in Westminster to protest the suspension of parliament. Organizers have called for protests in all major UK cities tonight #Brexit pic.twitter.com/OBffM92Brg
— Charlotte Potts (@chapotts) August 28, 2019
