A protester who stormed the stage before Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party conference speech and poured glitter over him has apologized for his actions and admitted to crossing the line. Yaz Ashmawi, the protester, expressed regret for making Sir Keir feel unsafe and took responsibility for his behavior. He acknowledged that pouring glitter on someone and going onto the stage was acceptable, but physical contact crossed a boundary. Ashmawi also confirmed that he would like to apologize to the Opposition leader. Merseyside Police arrested and later released Ashmawi on bail pending further investigation. He spent 22 hours in a cell following his arrest. Ashmawi is a member of a group called People Demand Democracy, which advocates for political system reform. He explained that the group supports an upgraded form of democracy, potentially with a more proportional electoral system. During the incident, Ashmawi shouted slogans like ‘true democracy is citizen-led’ and ‘politics needs an update’. He admitted to compromising Sir Keir’s safety by touching him, taking responsibility for any feelings of threat experienced by the Labour leader. Despite the incident, Sir Keir continued with his speech, brushing glitter from his hair, and emphasizing that the incident would not distract him from his goals. Labour has since advertised T-shirts with the slogan ‘Sparkle with Starmer’ and the incident has raised questions about the level of security provided for Sir Keir.
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