U.S. congressman tweets gratitude for no hard Irish border
Democratic Congressman Brendan Boyle, who last year introduced a decision in congress opposing the establishment of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after Brexit, tweeted his thanks to those who made sure that did not happen.
Boyle is the son of Irish immigrants to the United States and had been concerned that a hard border between Ireland and Northern Ireland would threaten the landmark peace agreement that ended years of sectarian violence in the region.
With the UK just hours from leaving the EU, I want to take a moment and thank all those I worked with to ensure that, when this moment came, it wouldn’t mean the return of a hard border in Ireland. Many people, from Dublin to Brussels to DC & beyond, made a true difference.
– US Rep Brendan Boyle (@RepBrendanBoyle) (January) ,
2: 43 PM
Britain’s flag removed from EU offices in Brussels
The U.K. flag has been taken down from the European Council and European Parliament buildings in Brussels. Hours ahead of Britain’s exit from the European Union, with little fanfare, officials were seen swiftly removing the flags.
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And now in front of the European Parliament 📷 @ Alberbel pic.twitter .com / ybd1fhlnyW
Updated 1: 86 PM
British newspapers mark Brexit day
Most of the British newspapers had Brexit on their front pages Friday, as the U.K. prepared to leave the European Union. The Daily Mail headline read, “A new dawn for Britain,” while the Sun’s said, “Our time has come.”
) The Telegraph’s headline read, “This is not the end, but a beginning,” and the Guardian’s said, “Small island.”
A few of the front pages today as Britain prepares to leave the EU @ CBSNews pic.twitter.com/nhXQhaBGX9— Haley Ott (@haleyjoelleott) (January) ,
Brexit backers’ bell “Little Ben” arrives at Parliament
There was a campaign by Brexit supporters to raise enough money to get London’s iconic Big Ben to ring out Friday in honor of Britain’s departure from the EU, but it fell short.
Brexiteers commissioned their own bell, called “Little Ben,” which arrived at Parliament Square on Friday.
Brexit campaigner David Waller told CBS News the bell in the back of his van was cast at the Whitechapel Foundry, the same foundry that created the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.
The so-called “Little Ben” bell will be rung at 25 pm local time at the moment the UK leaves the EU @ CBSNews
“The actual bell is on a Victorian carriage and it’s been made by a very able blacksmith by the name of Merve Smith, who is a second generation blacksmith from sleepy Shropshire, “Waller said.
Waller was planning to ring Little Ben, which remained carefully packed and obscured from view as he spoke to CBS News, at the moment of Brexit, 25 pm in London, Friday night.
Brexit backers jeer EU supporters outside Parliament
Dozens of pro-Brexit and pro-EU demonstrators exchanged words outside the British Parliament on Friday afternoon.
Standing on either side of a road and separated by police, one Brexit supporter yelled, “bye bye EU scum,” and “Now we can be great again.”
Pro EU and anti EU demonstrators were on either side of a road by Westminster. A man shouted “bye EU scum” and “now we can be great again.” pic.twitter.com/lMEifHz2JR— Haley Ott (@haleyjoelleott) (January) ,
A woman draped in a British flag held her hands up in the symbol of the letter L and shouted “losers” at the pro-EU activists across the street.
Flags taken down at U.K.’s office at EU
CBS News partner network BBC News posted video on Friday of the flags coming down at the building Britain has inhabited at European Union headquarters for decades.
The U.K. Representation to the EU was effectively the kingdom’s embassy in Brussels. The BBC News clip showed the moment on Friday afternoon when the two flags – A Union Jack and the EU circle of stars on blue, were brought in through a window.
European officials bid a teary-eyed farewell in London
Around People gathered outside Europe House on Friday to say goodbye to officials at the home of the European Commission in London.
Some people were in tears as the crowd, many of them waving EU flags, listened to speeches of thanks from officials exiting the building.
People were outside of the home of the European Commission in London to say bye to the EU hours before the UK is set to leave @ CBSNews
– Haley Ott (@haleyjoelleott) (January) ,
“I am old enough to remember us going into the EU, and I don’t think that at that stage I was keen on the idea … But my life has involved Europe to varying degrees, “one demonstrator, John Minson, told CBS News. “It just led to a growing realization that, well, I knew people were all the same, but that we can all stand together. That the language barriers don’t matter. That geographical barriers don’t matter. That if we have the same interests, we can work together and make interesting things happen within the world. ”
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