‘Stop Brexit Man’ Steve Bray rowed with police over the place he may play audio system, court docket hears | EUROtoday

An activist generally known as Stop Brexit Man who’s on trial for taking part in amplifiers exterior Parliament instructed police their map illustrating the place he couldn’t use them was incorrect, a court docket has heard.

Steve Bray, 56, allegedly flouted a police ban by taking part in anti-Conservative and anti-Brexit edits of The Muppet Show and Darth Vader’s theme tunes via the audio system on March 20 final yr.

Police approached Bray on the visitors island at round 11.20am, minutes earlier than then-PM Rishi Sunak arrived forward of Prime Minister’s Questions, City of London Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday.

They handed him a map and a discover that warned he’s prohibited from taking part in the audio system within the managed space below a by-law, the court docket heard.

The music resumed intermittently and shortly after 12.33pm officers seized the audio system, the court docket was instructed.

Bray, who’s self-represented, is charged with failing with out affordable excuse to adjust to a path given below the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 “re prohibited activities in Parliament Square”.

He appeared to turn out to be emotional whereas cross-examining one of many officers who attended shortly earlier than Mr Sunak arrived, and stated “there is relevance to us for timing”.

“Those couple of minutes, they mean a lot to us”, he instructed Pc Euan Varney.

The Muppets and Darth Vader themes had been used “as the prime minister came in, which is what we always did for Rishi – apparently he’s a Star Wars fan”, he added.

Bray, from Port Talbot, is thought for taking part in music in protest round Westminster, together with D:Ream’s Things Can Only Get Better on the gates of Downing Street when Mr Sunak introduced the overall election within the pouring rain this May.

Senior officers had requested two police constables to journey to the world and communicate to Bray in regards to the amplifiers.

Pc Varney, who handed Bray the map and spot, instructed the court docket he had not beforehand been conscious of the related legislation as he didn’t often work in Westminster.

Body-worn footage featured Bray, sporting a yellow and blue high hat, repeatedly telling police “you’ve got the wrong map”.

He stated it was outdated and officers would be taught that by asking somebody increased up within the chain of command.

When instructed he was not allowed to play there, Bray caught his fingers in his ears and stated “No it’s not, it’s not, not here – it’s not wrong here”, the court docket heard.

“I know what I can’t do”, he stated, suggesting officers stick it “where the sun don’t shine” earlier than lighting a cigarette and searching away.

Wearing a blue and yellow high hat on the visitors island, that was embellished with blue and yellow bunting, he requested the officer: “You’re not normally here are you? You’ve got the wrong map, this is not the correct map.

“If this is not the right map you can’t enforce it.”

He instructed officers that he had been protesting in that space for 4 years and two years in the past police seized his tools.

“Two days later they called me up, apologised, and said it’s blocking up our evidence room,” he stated.

“Two days later I came to collect it and they said we had got the wrong map, sorry”.

Bray stated the officers’ superiors, or “bronzes”, had been mistaken and added: “Sunak is due in in four minutes, so if you let us do our thing we would be grateful. We have come here to protest.”

“It’s not as if we’re throwing ourselves into the road, throwing cans of paint.”

Police later returned and seized two audio system and took them to Charing Cross police station with out arresting Bray.

Parliamentary assistant Charles Rivington, who labored for an MP on the time however wouldn’t specify their get together, stated protest music he hears via his workplace window makes him really feel “frustrated, definitely agitated, annoyed and distracted”.

He stated his job requires “a lot of reading” and the noise prevented him getting his work executed within the time it often takes him.

Giving proof in regards to the occasions of March 20, Mr Rivington instructed the court docket he heard loud music from 9am to 5pm.

During cross-examination, Bray stated that they had no amplifiers from about 12.30pm.

Bray denies the cost and the trial continues.