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Police were called to reports a well-known anti-Brexit protester was tripped to the ground and punched in the face outside Downing Street.

Steve Bray, 50, was assaulted and had his distinctive silver 'megaphone' cone stamped on during the incident on Saturday afternoon.

Footage posted on Twitter appears to show someone taking off Mr Bray's pro-EU hat. He gives chase but another person sticks out their leg, sending him flying to the floor - while someone stamps on his cone.

There was then a scuffle which looked unclear in the video, but Mr Bray claimed he was hit by a "glancing" punch in his face. He had no serious injuries but said his trousers were ripped and he was bleeding from the knee.

No arrests were made. A witness and friend of Mr Bray, Barbara Want, said he was punched in the face "but very lightly".

Mr Bray - who stood for months outside Parliament to shout "stop Brexit " - said he was at a protest demanding the long-delayed Russian meddling report is published when the incident unfolded at 2.30pm.

(Image: MikeStuchbery/Twitter)

He said he was followed by "seven or eight" pro-Brexit protesters who were "chanting and being abusive" so he turned towards the back gate of Downing Street, where he knew police would be on guard.

That was when the incident unfolded, he said. After he stood up one of the people "punched me in the face and I just said 'give the hat back', and he gave it back."

Mr Bray dialled 999, saying it was not the first time he had been targeted.

(Image: MikeStuchbery/Twitter)

"It was the second time the megaphone had been crushed," he said, and on another occasion people tried to surround his car.

Mr Bray said members of the group were regulars around Westminster. He said: "They claim to be [pro] Brexit protesters but they're just fascist thugs."

Journalist Mike Stuchbery posted the footage online last night and condemned those who filmed it. He tweeted: "A pack of young Brexiteers attacked Remain protester Steve Bray in London yesterday, damaging his equipment and leaving him with light injuries.

(Image: MikeStuchbery/Twitter)

"The thugs were stupid enough to film their violence. Repugnant, and not a good herald of things to come."

A Scotland Yard spokeswoman said: "Police were called at around 14:50hrs on Saturday, 18 January to reports of an assault on Horse Guards Road, Westminster.

"A man and a woman, both in their 50s, reported they had been verbally abused by a number of men as they walked down the road. One of the suspects then assaulted the male.

"Neither required medical assistance.

"The suspects had left the area prior to police arrival; no arrests have been made."