25 March 2017•Update: 27 March 2017
By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal
LONDON
“Tomorrow the clocks go forward one , Wednesday they go back 40 years,” read a placard carried by one of the thousands of pro-EU protesters who filled the central London streets Saturday as the country will take its first step to initiate the Brexit process next week.
The Unite for Europe March started almost simultaneously with another meeting in Italy’s capital Rome where the leaders of 27 remaining states of the bloc signed a declaration of unity.
Marking the 60th anniversary of the EU, the Rome declaration allows the EU nations move at different paces on specific issues.
“We will act together, at different paces and intensity where necessary, while moving in the same direction,” it said.
The crowds in London started gathering at Park Lane and marched to the Parliament Square under elevated security measures following last week’s terror attack that killed four civilians and a police officer.
“Too young to vote, old enough to care,” shouted a group of youngsters, while a placard read “I’m 15, Brexit stole my future.”
A minute of silence was observed at the Parliament Square for the victims of the March 22 terror attack and flowers were laid at the memorial.
Pro-EU Liberal Democrat Party leader Tim Farron was among those who addressed the protesters at the square.
“We are here to show solidarity and respect for those who voted leave. We do not believe they wanted this. [Theresa May] does not speak for 52% she barely speaks for 5%,” Farron said.
The organizers said around 20,000 people joined the Saturday march.
UKIP MP resignation
Meanwhile, Douglas Carswell, the only MP for pro-Brexit UK Independence Party (UKIP) resigned from his party.
Carswell said “job done”, referring to the Brexit result in last June’s referendum and added that he will continue his parliamentary duty as an independent member.
Carswell had resigned from the Conservative Party in 2014 and elected as the first UKIP MP in a by-election in his constituency Clacton.
The UKIP had run the Leave campaign as putting the anti-Turkey stance for the country’s EU membership and immigration at the center of their propaganda.
Article 50
In June 2016, more than half of British voters voted in favor of ending the U.K.’s 46-year long membership with the bloc.
It resulted in the collapse of David Cameron’s conservative government after he resigned as prime minister.
The U.K. government will trigger the Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty – the official start of exit negotiations on March 29, by sending a letter to the EU.
