The demonstrators described the move to suspend parliament as a coup and called for Johnson to resign. At one point, the traffic at Downing Street was at a standstill as protesters chanted “save our democracy, stop the coup” and sang “No one voted for Boris”.

Amelia Womack, deputy leader of the Green party, was one of many opposition politicians present. She said: “We’re here to stand against Boris Johnson’s coup. We have a representative democracy and by suspending parliament, you are removing people’s democratic right.”

Speaking of the decision to prorogue, she said: “I feel like we’ve been expecting this for a while but I didn’t think he would make such a brutal move that showed such a disregard for our parliamentary procedures.”