'Stop Brexit man' cleared over noisy protest

An anti-Brexit activist has been cleared of breaching a police ban after playing music on loudspeakers at a protest outside Parliament in London.

Steve Bray, 56, faced trial over the incident on Parliament Square, which took place before then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was questioned by MPs in the House of Commons on 20 March last year.

Mr Bray, known as "Stop Brexit man", denied the charge and had previously told the court playing music was part of his "fundamental right to protest".

On Monday, Mr Bray was found not guilty of failing to follow a police order, in a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court.

Handing down his judgement, Deputy District Judge Anthony Woodcock said of Mr Bray: "He admitted that he is 'anti-Tory', which is his words.

"He believes his is an important message to disseminate. He needs the volume that he uses the get the message across from Parliament Street to the Palace of Westminster."

The defendant, from Port Talbot, south Wales, looked up to the public gallery and was given a thumbs up by one of his supporters following the verdict.

Speaking outside the court after the verdict, Mr Bray said: "Today is a very important day, not just for us as protesters, but for everybody's freedom of expression.

"Whatever your protest is, this is a victory for you."

When asked whether he would continue to play music at protests outside Parliament, the activist said he planned to "carry on as we are".

Mr Bray is known for playing loud music at protests in Westminster, including D:Ream's Things Can Only Get Better at the gates of Downing Street when Sunak announced the general election in the pouring rain last May.

Police approached Mr Bray at about 11:20 on 20 March last year, minutes before Sunak arrived ahead of Prime Minister's Questions.

Mr Bray had been playing edits of the Muppets and Darth Vader themes on his speakers.

The songs were used "as the prime minister came in, which is what we always did for Rishi - apparently he's a Star Wars fan", the activist told the court.

Officers handed him a map and a notice that warned him he was prohibited from playing the speakers in the controlled area under a by-law, the court heard.

The court heard the music resumed intermittently and shortly after 12:33, officers seized the speakers.

Mr Bray had been accused of failing without reasonable excuse to comply with a direction given under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 "re prohibited activities in Parliament Square".

His trial previously heard Mr Bray had told police their map, illustrating where he could not use the speakers, was incorrect.

Body-worn footage featured Mr Bray, wearing a yellow and blue top hat, repeatedly telling police "you've got the wrong map".

He said it was outdated and officers would learn that by asking someone higher up in the chain of command.

When told he was not allowed to play the music there, Mr Bray stuck his fingers in his ears and said: "No it's not, it's not, not here - it's not wrong here", the court heard.

"I know what I can't do", he said, suggesting officers stick it "where the sun don't shine" before lighting a cigarette and looking away.

Several witnesses described to the court the negative impact of Mr Bray's music, heard as high as the sixth floor in nearby buildings.

After hearing this, Mr Bray apologised at an earlier court hearing.