Council Refuses Permission for Brexit March to Meet in Fulham

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'We have made that clear to organisers and expect them to comply with the law'

Hammersmith and Fulham Council has refused permission for the March To Leave protest to gather in Bishop's Park in Fulham tomorrow, Friday 29 March.

A council spokesperson said this morning: "The pro-Brexit marchers do not have permission to use Bishop’s Park, or march on our streets. We have made that clear to the organisers and fully expect them to comply with the law.

"Hammersmith & Fulham is an anti-Brexit borough. It’s strange that they should choose Fulham as an assembly point, as our borough voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union, and our council was the first in the country to formally call for a people’s vote."

According to their website, the marchers planning to protest against 'Brexit Betrayal' abandoned their original plans to assemble in Chiswick. The had previously announced that the march, led by Nigel Farage, which began in Sunderland on 16 March, was to meet in W4 before proceeding to Parliament Square.

Although they had not confirmed details citing security reasons, it was widely believed that the intention was to congregate on Turnham Green before proceeding down to the river.

They have now announced that the assembly point will be 11.30am in Bishop's Park.

When we asked the organisers at the time the march was originally announced about their plans their spokesman told us that it was their intention to most proceed along the Thames Path towards Westminster. However, there are unconfirmed reports that permission was not obtained to use certain sections of the Thames Path in the Chiswick area which are private land including that by Corney Reach and Regency Quay. It has been suggested that the route had to be changed when permission was declined on at least one part of the route that was privately owned. The police and Hounslow Council had not given any indication of road closures or any measures that were be in place to marshal the march.

March To Leave, which plans to end at Parliament Square on the day that the UK was originally due to leave the European Union, is a nationwide protest organised by Nigel Farage and the Leave Means Leave group.

The march has taken place without major incident as it has travelled south although turnout has been no more than a few hundred on each day. The core marchers are required to pay £50 to join but get free food and board. Brexit supporters are being asked to join them to show their support and register as 'cheer leaders'.

It is expected that the final leg will have the largest number of participants as the intention is to finish with a demonstration in front of parliament. It is not thought likely that the march will be anywhere near the scale of the anti-Brexit protest that took place in central London this Saturday.
The march's web site suggests 'thousands' will congregate at Parliament Square for the culmination of the march but there is no indication how many of these will have walked from Fulham.

We have asked March To Leave and the Metropolitan Police for comments on the situation.

March 28, 2019