Thousands at noisy city centre protests against Boris Johnson and no deal Brexit - live updates
There are 32 planned protests taking place across the UK organised by anti-Brexit campaign group Another Europe Is Possible
Graham Young
Sarah Probert
A large scale protest is taking place in Birmingham today as one of thousands across the country to take action against the Prime Minister's controversial plan to suspend Parliament.
The protests are taking place in city centres across the country - including Birmingham's Victoria Square where several thousand have turned up before marching through the streets of the city.
The protesters shouting 'Stop the Coup' and 'This is What Democracy Looks Like' stormed through the busy streets where several police officers and vans were helping guide them through.
There are 32 planned protests taking place across the UK organised by anti-Brexit campaign group Another Europe Is Possible.
Protests are also taking place in cities including Liverpool, Glasgow, Swansea, Leeds, Belfast, Bristol and Aberdeen.
They are also being held in towns including Bodmin in Cornwall and Clitheroe in Lancashire.
(Image: Graham Young)
Chants of "shame on you" were directed at Boris Johnson by demonstrators outside Downing Street on Saturday as streets around Government buildings in Westminster were brought to a standstill.
Demonstrators gathered outside Oxford University's Balliol College, which was attended by Mr Johnson, to express their displeasure about his handling of Brexit.
Shadow home secretary Diane Abbott addressed the London protesters from a stage near Downing Street.
Left-wing campaign group Momentum has called on its members to "occupy bridges and blockade roads" in conjunction with unrest on the streets.
The protests were triggered by the PM's decision to suspend Parliament for up to five weeks ahead of the October 31 Brexit deadline.
Opponents claimed the move was aimed at stopping discussion of Brexit and hampering cross-party efforts to block the prospect of a no-deal withdrawal from the European Union - an allegation denied by Mr Johnson.
In pictures 13:59
Live from the city centre 13:55
'Johnson is closing the doors on our democracy' 13:49
'Good on you'
On Facebook, Julie Bloomer writes:
Good on you all for doing this. Need rid of Boris and his cronies who are running the UK into the ground! Stop the dictatorship.
Matt Merrett adds:
I would get rid of parliament. All those Mps that move parties. No I'm sorry they should have by elections. Also all leave areas should have mps supporting the decision that is made. Not remain mps in leave areas. Get out of the corrupt union once and for all.
In London....
As the speeches finished on Whitehall just before 2pm, a number of protesters shouting "stop the coup" and "our democracy and Parliament is under attack" blocked Westminster Bridge - bringing the River Thames crossing to a standstill.
Live from the city centre
'Johnson is closing the doors on our democracy'
Both pro and anti-Brexit protesters clashed on Wednesday after the Queen approved an order that will see Parliament suspended for more than one month.
Laura Parker, Momentum's national co-ordinator, called the proroguing of Parliament a "loophole in our flawed democracy".
"There are thousands of people from all over the UK and across the political spectrum who will protest to stop Johnson closing the doors on our democracy," she said.
"No-one voted for this, and it's clear we need to urgently redesign our system to rebalance power away from the top."
The Jo Cox Foundation, which was set up in the wake of the Labour MP's murder in 2016, warned that anger over Brexit "should not spill over into something more dangerous".
The foundation said: "We believe strongly in freedom of speech. But we would urge everybody to avoid saying or doing anything that could incite or lead to violence."
The calls for protests come as a petition against the Prime Minister's plan to suspend Parliament racked up more than 1.64 million signatures early on Saturday morning.
No Deal Brexit protestKEY EVENT
Protesters are flooding the streets of Britain this weekend to rally against the Prime Minister's controversial plan to suspend Parliament.
Organisers are hoping hundreds of thousands of people will take to the streets on Saturday after a series of demonstrations on Friday evening.
In Birmingham, Victoria Square has seen hundreds of people turn out to rally against the possibility of a no deal Brexit.
Anti-Brexit campaign group Another Europe Is Possible has planned 32 #StopTheCoup protests to take place in England, Scotland and Wales.
And left-wing group Momentum is calling on its members to "occupy bridges and blockade roads" in conjunction with unrest on the streets.
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell urged Labour MPs to join the nationwide protest, calling the Prime Minister's decision to close Parliament for up to five weeks an attempt "to shut down democracy". "
As elected Labour MPs across the country represent their constituents by joining in these protests, I urge other MPs to think of their constituents whose jobs and livelihoods will be put at risk in a no-deal Brexit," Mr McDonnell said.
"If Boris Johnson wants a mandate, then he should call a general election and put it to the people."
The shadow chancellor is due to address youth movements at the main London protest at Downing Street on Saturday.
Other demonstrations will be held in cities including Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow, Swansea, Leeds, Belfast, Bristol and Aberdeen.
There will be rallies in smaller places including Bodmin, Cornwall, and Clotheroe, Lancashire, as well as Amsterdam's Dam Square and the outside the British Embassy in Riga, Latvia.
Further mass demonstrations, organised by the People's Assembly Against Austerity, are planned to take place on Tuesday to coincide with MPs returning to Westminster.