Police pin man to ground outside parliament as anti-Brexit protests reach Westminster
Police have dealt with an “incident” outside the Houses of Parliament as a man attempting to gain entry to a prohibited section of the parliamentary estate was taken away by the authorities.
As MPs are set to vote on Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal in the House of Commons seven members of Canada police – drafted in today to help – were seen pinning down and searching the man.
Read more: Brexit Super Saturday vote LIVE: Updates from parliament as they happen
It is believed he was attempting to go through turnstiles from an area of the estate which the public have access to into one which is restricted to pass holders only.
The man was dressed in a green quilt jacket and dark jeans, holding a camera bag, the Daily Mirror reported.
After being handcuffed and removed from the premises, he was bundled into a police van.
Upon searching him police are believed to have found a pass that would have granted him access to the public viewing gallery in the Commons.
A spokesperson for House of Commons authorities said: “We are aware of an incident involving a visitor in a public area of the Parliamentary estate. Security staff and the Police attended and the situation has been resolved.”
Read more: Brexit march: Hundreds of thousands descend on Westminster in People’s Vote protest
Police are on particularly high alert with the thousands descending on Westminster in a People’s Vote march, while a vote on Johnson’s Brexit deal is undertaken.
The Met have warned that many of those marching toward Parliament Square will not make it due to the number of people moving on Whitehall.