Anti-Brexit march descends into scuffle over Eddie Izzard’s beret

The post-Brexit referendum environment is described in some quarters as a somehow uniquely difficult spell in human experience. On parts of the Guardian site this is a constant theme, deployed at least twenty times a day: “In these hopeless/difficult times” we need comfort, serious analysis, and some fun, more than ever, apparently.

Are these really such hopeless times? Worse than the Black Death? Worse than the First World War? Worse than the Cold War and the constant threat of nuclear annihilation? Worse than the Eurovision Song Contest?

Anyway, if we need cheering up there is always Eddie Izzard. The comedian famous for the “Death Star canteen” routine got his beret stolen by a masked protestor today while campaigning for the Brexit referendum never to have happened. Stealing a beret is obviously a serious offence, but still:

Sky News takes up the story…

“Eddie Izzard has grappled with a balaclava-clad man who ripped off his pink beret during a pro-Europe march attended by thousands of people in London. The pair clashed near Downing Street and then Izzard, wearing high heels, chased the man before he was caught by police who pinned him to the ground. Officers pulled the entertainer’s trademark beret off the suspect, who was dressed all in black, and the garment was returned to Izzard who put it back on his head.”

For me, the beret in comedy will always mean Victoria Wood (and her character Kimberley), not Eddie Izzard or even Frank Spencer.

Anyway, I am sure the more hardline Brexiteers would have been just as bad as March for Europe’s tiny crowd if the UK had voted to stay in. If the referendum had gone Remain’s way there would already have been several marches held by Brexit refuseniks by now, probably led by Nigel Farage. “Police grappled with a masked protestor who tried to rip-off Mr Farage’s moustache.”

We must take our fun where we find it, in these hopeless times…