A man has been arrested after a protester disrupted Sir Keir Starmer’s speech at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.
The 28-year-old from Surrey was arrested on suspicion of assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance, Merseyside Police said on Tuesday.
The protester was wearing a T-shirt linking him to a group called People Demand Democracy, which has named him as Yaz Ashmawi.
A Merseyside Police statement said: “We can confirm that a 28-year-old man from Surrey has been arrested following an incident at the Labour Party conference earlier this afternoon.
“The man was detained by security at the event and handed over to the police who arrested him on suspicion of S39 assault, breach of the peace and causing public nuisance.
“He has been taken to a police station where he will be questioned by police.”
Protest group Extinction Rebellion revealed Mr Ashmawi is one of its activists but said the glitter-throwing protest “was not an XR action”.
An XR spokesperson said: “We agree with Yaz that true democracy is citizen-led and that our politics needs an update.
“The greatest crisis we are facing is the climate and nature emergency and it is clear the political system is unable to cope with this.
“This is why XR is demanding a UK-wide, independently-run citizens’ assembly on the climate and nature emergencies.”
Sir Keir took off his suit jacket after being showered in glitter at the start of his speech – but insisted it showed why he changed his party from one of protest to one ready for power.
The man was removed from the conference building through a back exit by two police officers before being put in a police van.
