‘Stop Brexit Man’ allowed to play anti-Tory music outside Parliament – The Telegraph

Steve Bray cleared of flouting police ban after airing edits of Muppet Show and Darth Vader themes as Rishi Sunak arrived for PMQs
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An activist known as Stop Brexit Man has been allowed to play anti-Tory music outside Parliament.
On March 20 last year, Steve Bray played anti-Conservative and anti-Brexit edits of The Muppet Show and Darth Vader’s theme as Rishi Sunak arrived for Prime Minister’s Questions.
On Monday, the 56-year-old was cleared of flouting a police ban, with a judge ruling that “how he [Mr Bray] chooses to express those views is a matter for him”.
At Westminster magistrates’ court, Mr Bray was found not guilty of failing without reasonable excuse to comply with a direction given under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 over “prohibited activities in Parliament Square”.
After the verdict, the defendant, wearing a blue and white short-sleeved shirt, looked at his supporters in the public gallery, one of whom gave him a thumbs up.
Police approached Mr Bray on the traffic island at about 11.20am on March 20 last year, minutes before Mr Sunak arrived for PMQs, the court heard
They handed him a map and a notice that warned he was prohibited from playing music on the speakers in a controlled area under a by-law, the court heard. The music resumed intermittently, and officers seized the speakers shortly after 12.33pm.
Representing himself, Mr Bray, from Port Talbot, South Wales, denied the charge and told a previous hearing that playing music was part of his “fundamental right to protest” and that the music was played “sporadically” rather than all day.
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.
“He says his strategy needs pictures of him in the media, and he’s spent many hours campaigning and has never been arreste. His relations with police are generally good. His equipment operates on battery power and is limited,” the judge added.
Of the issues Mr Bray protests about, the judge continued: “He is described, virtually accused, of being ‘fixated’ – he’s entitled to be. How he chooses to express those views is a matter for him. Lampooning the government through satire is a long tradition in this country.”
Mr Bray had previously told the court that the Muppets and Darth Vader themes were used “as the prime minister came in, which is what we always did for Rishi – apparently he’s a Star Wars fan”.
The court heard that Mr Bray had told police that their map, illustrating where he could not use the speakers, was incorrect. Bodycam footage featured Mr Bray, wearing a yellow and blue top hat, repeatedly telling officers: “You’ve got the wrong map.”
He said it was outdated and officers would be able to confirm this by asking colleagues higher up the chain of command.
The court heard that when told he was not allowed to play 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.”
“I know what I can’t do,” he said, suggesting officers stick it “where the sun don’t shine”.
Several witnesses described to the court the negative impact of Mr Bray’s music, heard as high as the sixth floor in nearby buildings, for which the defendant apologised.
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