STEVE Bray – the annoying anti-Brexit and anti-Conservative protester has been silenced after Met Police seized his amplifiers in Parliament Square in Westminster.
If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years, a protester dubbed ‘Drunk Steve’ is that annoying fella that shouts ‘STOOOOOOPPPPP BREXITTTTTT”, over, and over again every time there’s a mainstream media camera crew broadcasting live from College Green outside the Houses of Parliament.
He was branded ‘Drunk Steve’ by Brexit protesters a few years ago, after a campaign asking ‘Who Funds Drunk Steve?’ …but he’s actually called Steven Bray, and Politicalite cannot verify if he’s drunk.
Police said that around 1pm on Tuesday, a group of officers swooped in on “Stop Brexit Man” Steve Bray.
Mr Bray was told that under the Police Crime Sentencing and Courts Act, which came into force earlier in the day, he was forbidden from holding a noisy protest within a designated area outside the Houses of Parliament.
The Metropolitan Police said Mr Bray, who has vowed to return with amplifiers, was reported over the offence – meaning he will be considered for prosecution.
Speaking after the incident, Mr Bray said “Under this new law, this fascist law that’s been rushed through Parliament, taking away our rights to protest, they want protesters to just stand there with their hands folded.”
“But protest is all about sound and vision, without that you’re not a protest, but they don’t want dissent and they don’t like me.”
“The police came along, they said if we carry on they’ll take them away, so I’m carrying on as normal and they seized them.
“I tried to stop them and more and more police officers came and took the amps.
“I’ve been told that I have been summoned and I’ll have to go to court and they’re being held as evidence, I’m gonna elect trial by jury and let’s hope it’s 12 Remainers.”
The top hat-wearing demonstrator is often seen in the area playing loud music in a protest sometimes coinciding with Prime Minister’s Questions.
Mr Bray was known as the Stop Brexit Man because he used a megaphone to shout “Stop Brexit”.
In social media footage, Mr Bray, who was surrounded by banners and European Union flags, could be seen struggling with officers and telling them “hands off” as they attempted to take the amplifiers.
An officer could be heard responding: “You’ve already been warned not to turn it on.”
Mr Bray then demanded officers return a banner he said had been taken from him, before accusing them of breaking one of the amplifiers.
His hat could be seen falling off in the scuffle.
An increasingly irate Mr Bray could be later heard shouting at officers: “You fascists! This is not law! Fascist mouthpiece.”
Dozens of officers were close to the scene on Tuesday afternoon, with Mr Bray saying some were following him wherever he went.
He added: “I’m going to get more amps, I won’t stop it, they didn’t arrest me today although I’ve got to go to court.
“I’ll carry on, nothing’s changed.”
A Met statement said: “The man was using the equipment in a zone where the use of amplified equipment is prohibited.
“He was spoken to by officers on multiple occasions in relation to specific legislation regarding the use of the amplifying equipment and that it would be seized if he persisted.”
The statement added: “He was also reported for the offence. (This means that he will be considered for prosecution for the offence).”
The laws came as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which included measures to curtail noisy protests.
