A speech by London Mayor Sadiq Khan has been disrupted by protesters shouting pro-Brexit and Pro-Donald Trump slogans.

Mr Khan’s address to a Fabian Society conference in London had to be suspended for several minutes as a result of the incident.

As he took to the podium to begin his speech, a number of people from a group called the White Pendragons got up from the audience and started holding up American flags. They called for the Mayor to be arrested, reportedly referencing his religion.

Protesters interrupt Sadiq Khan’s keynote speech at the Fabian Society-

Sadiq Khan’s speech at @thefabians conference interrupted by protest by group called White Pendragon who tell me Fabians are subverting society. pic.twitter.com/AJRBBu3CqP — Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) January 13, 2018

One man could be heard addressing the audience with: “Ladies and gentlemen, we’re here today to make a non-violent, peaceful citizen’s arrest.”

Audience members started to heckle and slow-clap, during which security appeared.

Attempts to eject those responsible for the disruption were initially met with aversion from the protesters, one of whom could be heard saying: “We stand under Common Law jurisdiction.

”If you touch us, you’ll be done for common assault. Please stand back, do not touch us. We’re not leaving, we’ve paid for a ticket.”

He then accused the Fabian Society of “subverting” the constitution.

When Mr Khan, a long-term opponent of Mr Trump, resumed his speech after the protesters were escorted from the venue by police, he took a dig at the American president who recently described himself as a “very stable genius”.

He told delegates: “It is a pleasure to be here even though we were distracted by the actions of what some would call very stable geniuses.”

The Mayor also tried to make light of the protest with a reference to Prime Minister Theresa May’s Tory conference speech, which was interrupted by a prankster, saying: “On the plus side I wasn’t served with a P45.”

UK news in pictures







45 show all UK news in pictures























































































1/45 12 January 2018 Workers look at the Madame Tussauds wax figure of US President Donald Trump outside the new US Embassy in Nine Elms, London, after Mr Trump confirmed he will not travel to the UK to open the new building - and hit out at the location of the 1.2 billion dollar (£886 million) project. Writing on Twitter, Trump said he thought the embassy's move from Grosvenor Square in the prestigious Mayfair district of central London to Nine Elms, south of the Thames, was a "bad deal". PA

2/45 11 January 2018 British Prime Minister Theresa May watches birds from inside a bird hide with school children at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust's (WWT) ahead of a speech to launch the government's environment plan in London. Campaigners on January 11 criticised Theresa May's plan to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste within 25 years, calling it a "missed opportunity" that lacked the necessary urgency. The government will extend a charge on plastic bags to all businesses and encourage supermarkets to introduce plastic-free aisles, May said in speech. AFP/Getty

3/45 10 January 2018 Cirque du Soleil 'OVO' dress rehearsal at the Royal Albert Hall Rex

4/45 9 January 2018 Prime Minister Theresa May leads her first cabinet meeting of the new year at 10 Downing street PA

5/45 8 January 2018 Journalist Carrie Gracie speaks to the media outside the BBC in London after she turned down a £45,000 rise, describing the offer as a "botched solution" to the problem of unequal pay at the BBC. Gracie said she told the corporation she wanted equality, rather than more money, and was determined not to help the organisation "perpetuate a failing pay structure by discriminating against women" PA

6/45 7 January 2018 A man reads a newspaper as he takes part in the annual 'No Trousers On The Tube Day' (No Pants Subway Ride) at Liverpool Street Station. Started in 2002 with only seven participants, the day is now marked in over 60 cities around the world. The idea behind "No Pants" is that random passengers board a subway car at separate stops in the middle of winter, without wearing trousers. The participants wear all of the usual winter clothing on their top half such as hats, scarves and gloves and do not acknowledge each other's similar state of undress. AFP/Getty

7/45 6 January 2018 League Two side Coventry City celebrate victory over Premier League side Stoke in the FA Cup third round PA

8/45 5 January 2018 A commendation ceremony takes place at Manchester Town Hall to recognise the actions of police and rail staff following the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena in May 2017 PA

9/45 4 January 2018 Stuart (no surname given) with his possessions in a bus stop near Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Prime Minister Theresa May has said she disagrees with Tory council leader Simon Dudley, who called on police to clear rough sleepers from Windsor before the royal wedding PA

10/45 3 January 2018 Storm Eleanor lashed the UK with violent storm-force winds of up to 100mph PA

11/45 2 January 2018 Members of National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) hold a demonstration against rail fare increases outside Kings Cross Railway Station, London. Average rail ticket prices across Britain have risen by 3.4 percent, the biggest increase to rail fares for five years EPA

12/45 1 January 2018 A man takes part in the Mappleton Bridge Jump, an annual unofficial tradition where those willing jump from Okeover bridge on New Years Day into the River Dove PA

13/45 31 December 2017 Passing clouds creating beautiful colours in Wimbledon on the last sunset of the year Rex

14/45 30 December 2017 One person was taken to hospital after a fire broke out on the ninth floor of a building in Joiner Street in Manchester's Northern Quarter mcr_cabbie/Twitter

15/45 29 December 2017 Heavy snow, rain, thunderstorms and wind have caused disruption across much of Britain as a band of "severe" weather rolled across the country. Travelers were warned of dangerous roads conditions, with Highways England advising road users to pack shovels, food and water if they do venture out. The weather didn't just affect travel however, camels on a farm near Richmond, North Yorkshire and various other animals are having to deal with the cold weather PA

16/45 28 December 2017 Alastair Cook celebrates after reaching his double-century during the third day of the fourth Ashes cricket test match Reuters

17/45 27 December 2017 Sheep are driven to another field in the Cotswolds after overnight snow caused travel disruptions across parts of the UK PA

18/45 26 December 2017 Harry Kane celebrates after scoring his third goal, Tottenham's fifth, during the Boxing day Premier League match against Southampton at Wembley. He broke Alan Shearer’s record of 36 Premier League goals in a calendar year, scoring 39 from 36 matches. Kane also finished 2017 as Europe’s leading scorer ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, who has 54 goals from 63 appearances in all competitions. Harry Kane has 56 from 52. AFP/Getty

19/45 25 December 2017 Swimmers get out of the water after taking part in the Christmas Day Serpentine swim in Hyde Park, London Reuters

20/45 24 December 2017 Stuart Broad of England bowls during a nets session at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia. The fourth Ashes test starts on Boxing Day Getty

21/45 23 December 2017 Staff members console each other as they survey the damage after a fire destroyed a number of buildings at London Zoo. An aardvark has died and four meerkats are missing. Eight zoo workers have been treated by paramedics after a desperate attempt to save the animals from the blaze, which broke out in a petting area.

22/45 22 December 2017 Druids, pagans and revellers gather in the centre of Stonehenge, hoping to see the sun rise, as they take part in a winter solstice ceremony at the ancient neolithic monument of Stonehenge. Despite a forecast for cloud and rain, a large crowd gathered at the famous historic stone circle, to celebrate the sunrise closest to the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. The event is claimed to be more important in the pagan calendar than the summer solstice, because it marks the 're-birth' of the Sun for the New Year. Getty Images

23/45 21 December 2017 Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, British Defence Minister Gavin Williamson in the presence of Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May sign a treaty between the Republic of Poland and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland on cooperation in the field of defense and security EPA

24/45 20 December 2017 A protester wears a 'STOP BREXIT' hat outside the Palace of Westminster Reuters

25/45 19 December 2017 The Choristers of St Paul's rehearse for a series of services and concerts over the Christmas season at St Paul's Cathedral in London REUTERS

26/45 18 December 2017 Joe Root, the England captain is interviewed after Australia regained the Ashes. England lost by an innings and 41 run runs in the third test at the WACA in Perth Getty

27/45 17 December 2017 Photos of Richard Ratcliffe and his wife Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who has been jailed in Iran, on display at their home in north London. Mr Ratcliffe says he believes there is "still a chance" she may be released from an Iranian prison in time for a dream Christmas together. PA

28/45 16 December 2017 Oxford Street in London is filled with shoppers with 8 shopping days before Christmas Rex

29/45 15 December 2017 Jonny Bairstow of England headbutts his helmet to celebrate his century during day two of the Third Test match in the 2017/18 Ashes Series between Australia and England at the WACA in Perth, Australia. Bairstow was embroiled in controversy at the beginning of the tour after lightly headbutting Australian opening batsman Cameron Bancroft in an exchange in a bar

30/45 14 December 2017 People at the Grenfell Tower National Memorial Service PA

31/45 13 December 2017 Wax figures of Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson wearing a Christmas Jumper at Madame Tussauds EPA

32/45 12 December 2017 Victims and family of victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, Nicholas Burton (left), Sandra Ruiz (second right), Karim Mussilhy (right) and a girl who asked not be named (second left), hand in a petition to Downing Street, asking for an overhaul of the public inquiry. PA

33/45 11 December 2017 A homeless man on the streets of Manchester. Many people are spending the night on the streets in freezing temperatures as the Met Office continues to issue weather warnings across the country. The Shelter charity has said that more than 300,000 are now homeless across Britain, equating to the population of a city the size of Newcastle Getty

34/45 10 December 2017 Pedestrians walk over the Millennium Bridge with St Paul's Cathedral pictured in the background as snow falls AFP/Getty Images

35/45 9 December 2017 British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, left, and Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, right, with interpreter at centre, during their meeting in Tehran, Iran. Johnson is expected to discuss the fate of detained British-Iranian woman Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, who is serving a five-year prison sentence for allegedly plotting to overthrow Iran's government. AP

36/45 8 December 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May (L) and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker address a press conference at the European Commission in Brussels AFP/Getty Images

37/45 7 December 2017 Nick Dunn, one of the so-called Chennai Six is greeted by his sister Lisa as he arrives at Newcastle Airport after being released from India after serving four years in jail on weapons charges. PA

38/45 6 December 2017 Britain's Queen Elizabeth II (L) greets Nigeria's ambassador to the United Kingdom, George Adesola Oguntade (C), and his wife, Modupe Oguntade, during a private audience at Buckingham Palace in central London AFP/Getty

39/45 5 December 2017 800 abandoned buckets appear at Potters Field Park, London, in a moving tribute to the 800 children who die every day, on average, due to a lack of clean water and sanitation. Just one bucket in the installation, part of WaterAid’s #Untapped appeal, could hold almost enough safe drinking water for one child for a week. Every £1 donated to the #Untapped appeal until 31st January 2018 will be matched by the UK Government. WaterAid / Ollie Dixon

40/45 4 December 2017 British Prime Minister Theresa May smiles to European Union President Donald Tusk as she attends Brexit negotiations' meetings AFP/Getty

41/45 3 December 2017 The last Supermoon of 2017 sets over Whitley Bay, Northumberland PA

42/45 2 December 2017 The crowd reacts as England's Dawid Malan fails to stop a boundary during the first day of the second Ashes test match REUTERS

43/45 1 December 2017 England manager, Gareth Southgate, jokes with Belgium manager, Roberto Martinez, after their sides were drawn in the same group during the Final Draw for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia Getty Images

44/45 30 November 2017 A supporter of Lauri Love, who is accused of hacking into U.S. government computers, wears a Donald Trump mask as he protests in front of the Royal Courts of Justice in London AP

45/45 29 November 2017 A sign reading 'We want our future back' is displayed in front of Westminster during an Anti-Brexit Demonstration Rex Features

It comes a day after the Mr Khan said the US President had “got the message” that Londoners opposed his views and policies as he cancelled a planned visit to the capital.

Mr Khan the visit would have been hampered by “mass peaceful protests” as Mr Trump’s controversial views were the “polar opposite” of the city’s values.

The President said he would not visit the UK to open the new US embassy in south London and described the decision to move the building from Mayfair to Vauxhall as a “bad deal”.