Brexit was branded a \u201ctravesty\u201d by demonstrators who marked the 10th anniversary of the UK\u2019s exit vote with a march calling to rejoin the bloc.<\/p>\n
Police on the ground estimated that around 1,500 people set off from central London\u2019s Temple station on Saturday to Parliament Square in Whitehall behind a banner which declared \u201cWe Want Our Star Back\u201d.<\/p>\n
The National Rejoin March (NRM) was filled with people carrying EU flags and wearing blue and yellow hats and T-shirts that said \u201cCitizen of Europe\u201d and \u201cRe:Union\u201d.<\/p>\n
The UK voted to leave the European Union in a referendum in June 2016, called by then-prime minister David Cameron.<\/p>\n
Newlywed Madeleine Kay, 32, is trying to move from Sheffield to be with her husband Johann in Germany.<\/p>\n
People during a National Rejoin March in London Credit: Jeff Moore\/PA<\/p>\n
She said: \u201cI think Brexit was a travesty for the United Kingdom and it has also had a personal impact of me, a huge amount.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to see a better future for everyone in the UK, but especially those young people who did not get a say in the referendum.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is really important that we make our cause visible.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe more that we campaign, the closer we will get to the ultimate goal which is being a member of the EU again.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the ramifications of Brexit are now being felt in terms of the economy, trade, small businesses, to rights and freedoms, and \u201ceven if it\u2019s just trying to go on holiday and standing in that goddamn queue at the airport.\u201d<\/p>\n
The words \u201cBrexit sucks\u201d was drawn on a homemade banner in the shape of a lollipop while other placard read \u201cI don\u2019t want to take my country back, I want to take my country forward\u201d and also \u201cRe Join EU for trade and jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Another banner from Croydon for Europe said \u201cThe UK should be more like Crystal Palace, Champions of Europe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Arttu Rajantie, a Finnish theoretical physicist who lives in Reading, Berkshire, and works in London, stood holding a banner which said \u201cScientists for EU\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said Brexit had \u201ca big effect\u201d on scientific research and saw a loss of access to European funding.<\/p>\n
It is 10 years since the Brexit referendum Credit: Jeff Moore\/PA<\/p>\n
Professor Rajantie added there has been a loss of freedom of movement that is \u201creally hurting our recruitment and building links with new partners in Europe\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cWe can\u2019t recruit young European researchers in the same way as we could because they have got 27 countries where they can go without any barriers whereas to come to Britain, they have to get a visa.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is high cost and high bureaucracy.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is very complicated and so they just choose to go elsewhere.\u201d<\/p>\n
NRM organiser Clare Hall said: \u201cI would just like to see full rejoin \u2013 I don\u2019t feel like we have got nothing to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said the past decade has shown that Brexit was bad, adding: \u201cIt was all based on immigration, and that has been proved to be absolute nonsense, freedom of movement has been stripped away.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said \u201clife has got harder,\u201d shopping is more expensive, there is red tape getting food into the county and feels strongly for the younger generation who are set \u201cto pay the price of this\u201d.<\/p>\n