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Protesters call for Scotland to remain in the EU

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Edinburgh rallyImage source, PA
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The Edinburgh rally drew a large crowd in the capital

Thousands of people have taken part in a march in support of the UK remaining in the European Union.

They initially gathered on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and walked in the sunshine to the Scottish Parliament.

The Edinburgh4Europe event concluded with a rally addressed by speakers including the SNP's Joanna Cherry QC and Labour MP Ian Murray.

Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP and Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater also addressed the crowd.

Ms Cherry, who has helped to lead legal action against Boris Johnson's suspension of Parliament, said that the prime minister had behaved like a "dictator".

Image source, PA
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The SNP's Joanna Cherry QC was one of the speakers at the event

She said: "In order for us to give people a chance of another say on Brexit, we need to get Parliament up and running again.

"Of course, Boris Johnson has behaved like a dictator as the prime minister of a minority government suspending Parliament because it's basically getting in his way.

"But I'm cautiously optimistic that the United Kingdom's Supreme Court will, like Scotland's supreme court, find that the prorogation was unlawful and that Parliament will be returning to work soon.

"Then in order to get a second vote, a People's Vote, we have to work cross-party in order to get that."

Image source, PA
Image caption,

A protester cools down at the Scottish Parliament

Scottish Labour MP Ian Murray called the UK government's stance on Brexit "completely wrong".

He said: "It's the second rally in two days in Edinburgh where thousands of people have turned up to make their voices heard.

"This is democratic change in action.

"What we're trying to say to the UK Government is that their stance on Brexit's completely wrong and that what we demand is that for these people that are marching today and for everyone across the United Kingdom, to get a final say referendum so that they can have their view on whether or not to remain in the European Union or back the prime minister's deal.

"That's why we're all here, we're all championing that and we're all fighting for it both on the streets and in Parliament."

'Calamity'

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said that his party would revoke Article 50 in the event of winning a majority at a general election.

He said: "I've been marching in these demos now for three years and that just shows how far this movement's come.

"We thought we'd be crashing out of the European Union in March and that didn't happen, and the extensions have come and they've gone and we're still in the European Union.

"It gives me such hope that we are on the cusp of reversing Brexit and all the calamity that it represents."