A small group of soaked protestors have gathered in a very rainy Sunderland for the start of Nigel Farage’s 14-day march to London in a bid to avert perceived attempts to betray the public over Brexit.
The March to Leave, which has been organised by the Leave Means Leave campaign, is being led by the former Ukip leader and the campaign’s website says tickets to be “core marchers”, have sold out.
But pictures and video of the start of the event on Saturday show around 200 people soaked to the skin as they brave the wet weather.
Yesterday it was revealed Farage would not be completing the entire march and only 350 people had signed up.
Angry rows broke out as the march started, with several counter-protesters assembling in order to get their views across, the Press Association reports.
They were carrying love hearts bearing messages like “we love workers’ rights” and “we love to have a say”, but some marchers responded by calling them “EU money grabbers”.
The counter-protesters were also told to respect the 2016 referendum result, with one man waving a fake blue passport in their direction.
As Farage arrived, a flare was set off with the EU colours, with shouts of “exit Brexit” emanating form the counter-protesters.
It is understood that two two advertising vans, made by the anti-Brexit grassroots campaign Led By Donkeys, will also be following the march.
Barry Lockey, who arrived in Sunderland carrying a flag with the message “Get Britain out: Time to leave the EU”, said that the event is about supporting democracy.
He said: “The democracy in the Parliament building has been spot on. They’ve got their no-deal taken off the table by four votes.”
Lockey pointed out that this margin was much smaller than the 4% margin of victory during the EU referendum, which he said is now being discredited.
He added: “I’m sorry, but that really riles me. And they’re not going to get away with it.
“They’re going to get kicked out, them people, and they’re an absolute damned disgrace.”
In contrast, one counter-protester told the Press Association “it’s going to be a disaster if we leave.”
Frank Hindle, 66, said: “We’re here to point out that not everybody agrees with this crowd, who think it’s going to be wonderful if we leave.”
Discussing the no-deal Brexit that many of the marchers are calling for, he said: “The impact that will have on businesses and on prices, and on the availability of things like medicines and so forth, it doesn’t bear thinking about.”