Demonstrations are expected across Britain yesterday against Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s move to suspend parliament in the final weeks before Brexit.

The protests come ahead of an intense political week in which Johnson’s opponents will seek to block the move in court and legislate against a no-deal departure from the European Union.

Organisers said they were hoping hundreds of thousands of people would take part in the demonstrations, organised under the slogan #StopTheCoup. “Disruption is the only form of leverage protesters can rely on,” said Michael Chessum, national organiser for the campaign group Another Europe is Possible.

“This process needs to force the government to change its course,” he said. The left-wing group Momentum, closely allied with the main opposition Labour Party, is calling on its supporters to “occupy bridges and blockade roads”.

Saturday’s main demonstration is expected outside Johnson’s Downing Street office in London from around 1100 GMT and there will be more in around 30 other towns and cities. Johnson, who only came to power a month ago following a Conservative Party leadership election, has promised to lead Britain out of the EU on October 31 with or without an agreement with Brussels.

He has said he is ready to strike a deal as long as provisions for Britain to stay in the customs union even after Brexit are cut from an existing deal struck by his predecessor Theresa May.