Steve Bray not guilty for playing protest music outside Parliament

In the United Kingdom, an activist known as 'Stop Brexit Man', Steve Bray, was cleared of violating a police ban after playing music outside Parliament on March 20, 2024. Prior to then Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's arrival for Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs), Bray entertained a crowd with edits of popular themes from The Muppet Show and Darth Vader, a nod to Sunak's apparent interest in Star Wars. The police approached Bray just before noon, presenting him with a map detailing prohibited areas where he wasn't allowed to use his speakers as per local by-laws, which he contested by stating that the map was outdated. Following this exchange, he played the music intermittently until the police confiscated his speakers around 12:30 PM. Bray represented himself during the court proceedings, firmly asserting that his actions were part of his fundamental right to protest. He played his music sporadically, countering the prosecution's claims that he was in breach of guidelines under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011. In court, Deputy District Judge Anthony Woodcock emphasized that Bray's intentions and methods of expressing his political views were valid and part of a long-standing tradition of political satire in the country. He acknowledged Bray’s self-described anti-Conservative stance and his need for volume to effectively communicate his message from Parliament Street to the Palace of Westminster. The judge ultimately ruled in favor of Bray, declaring that lampooning the government through satire holds a significant place in UK political culture, providing Bray with the legal ground to pursue his artistic protest efforts amid tensions with law enforcement.