THE sleepy Monmouthshire town of Usk was roused this afternoon by chants condemning Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s proroguing of parliament.
A 100-strong protest gathered on Maryport Street before heading through the town to the clock in the main square.
Traffic on the A472, the main thoroughfare through the town, was briefly stopped by the protest. However, motorists on the whole appeared supportive of the march.
“This is part of the #stopthecoup movement,” said one of the organisers who did not want to be identified other than his @ItRecks Twitter handle.
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“We’re not going to take it lying down. We’ve been told to ‘respect democracy’ for three years. This is not democratic.”
The Prime Minister’s move effectively leaves Parliament dormant and MPs powerless to intervene between at least September 12 and the Queen’s Speech on October 14.
Richard Burtt-Jones, a local who had joined the march, said: “This is real grassroots stuff, it’s fantastic to see.”
Positioned at the clock in the centre of Usk, the crowd broke out into an impromptu rendition of Callon Lan before resuming their anti-Boris and anti-Brexit chants.
“I came for the anti-prorogation side of things rather than the EU,” said Chris Watkins from Monmouth.
“It’s getting a bit muddled.
“It is great for a place as small as this to have so many people come out.
“I know I’ll be asked in the future “So, what did you do?””.
The march attracted people of all ages, from young children to one elderly gentleman in a wheelchair who said that this was the first march he had ever been on while holding a sign which read: “My first protest ever. Things must be bad!”
Liz Cornwell, from Usk, said: “I haven’t come out like this since the Iraq War, but I couldn’t just sit at home.”
Further anti-prorogation marches are planned up and down the country with one taking place in Abergavenny on Wednesday next week.
There is also a map of upcoming marches which is available to view online.
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