A group of left-wing protestors turned on comedian Russell Brand at an anti austerity march in London this past weekend.
Brand, who famously said he is against voting, had to be held back in the VIP area on Parliament Square Saturday as an angry mob told him to “f*ck off back to Miliband,” which is a reference to his backing of Labor at the general election, according to The Daily Mail.
The comedian-turned-activist was also called a “turncoat” for demanding an anti-capitalist revolution in Britain after telling his fans to vote for former Labor leader Ed Miliband’s party.
Brand was waiting to take the stage at the rally, which is said to have drawn a crowd of more than 250,000 people who marched from central London to protest government budget cuts, when a group began to shout and attempt to stop him from going on stage.
“F*** you Russell. I hate you. He should not be on the stage here. Ask how much he has been paid to be here. You have no place here, you’re disgusting,” said one protestor.
“You’re a turncoat, Brand. Sell me a book on revolution and then tell us to vote labor. F*** off back to Miliband you t***,” said another.
Footage from the rally has surfaced, found below, which shows the comedian being held back by a friend after he notices the mob.
He is seen at the end of the video sprinting down street back stage before hopping into a standby vehicle.
Brand, who is worth an estimated $15 million, attempted to explain his actions to his fans this week on his Trews website, saying he felt both empathy and sympathy for the woman who shouted at him.
“There was one person in the behind the stage area, who didn’t look that well and it was sort of fascinating because amidst the crowd of people who wanted to shake hands and get autographs, there was one woman who seemed a bit red with rage,” he said. “She was shouting and swearing and she called me an upper-class maniac and I honestly felt ‘oh is she alright.”
He added:
That was the feeling I had, one of sympathy and empathy because I was watching someone deal with hardship and I thought, I wonder if I could help that person.
But the organizer said not really, this looks like someone deep, deep in rage.
Brand told thousands of protestors during his speech at the rally that he feels it’s his fault the Tories won the election, and that he may have “broken the country” by advising people not to vote.
Brand stated:
I think like most of us here I feel inspired to see people in the Square in such incredible numbers after the results at the general election.
Like most of you here I felt crushing disappointment on the morning after the election, unlike many of you I felt personally to blame for it. I thought I’d broken the country.
Without a welfare state I wouldn’t have been educated, without a welfare state I wouldn’t have had anywhere to live, without a welfare state my mom would’ve died of cancer several times.
I am personally a product of the welfare state – not least because I signed on for eight years while I learned to be a comedian, so somewhat grateful for it.
The weekend protest was one of the largest anti austerity events to take place in recent years. It was also the first major protest since the new Government was formed.
Watch: Protesters turn on Russel Brand
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