A-list stars upstaged on the red carpet: Suffragette premiere is invaded by domestic violence campaigners as SMOKE BOMBS are let off just yards from Helena Bonham Carter and Carey Mulligan 

  • Demonstrators Sisters Uncut stormed première of new film 'Suffragette' in a bid to protest government cuts
  • Group campaign for more support for victims of domestic abuse in UK and say they were inspired by suffragettes
  • They set off smoke flares and laid down on red carpet - stars said the protest was 'perfect response' to the film  

By Keiligh Baker for MailOnline

Published: 13:51 EST, 7 October 2015 | Updated: 20:22 EST, 7 October 2015

Scenes from real life mirrored those in new film Suffragette as protestors campaigning for more support for victims of domestic violence in Britain picketed the London premiere.

The demonstration was arranged by the Sisters Uncut group, who set of smoke flares and laid down on the red carpet in London's Leicester Square as they chanted 'dead women can't vote' and 'we are suffragettes'.

The film's British stars Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter said the protest, which the group said was inspired by the suffragettes, was the 'perfect response' to the movie's message. 

The demonstration was arranged by the Sisters Uncut group, who set of smoke flares and laid down on the red carpet in Leicester Square

The demonstration was arranged by the Sisters Uncut group, who set of smoke flares and laid down on the red carpet in Leicester Square

The red carpet was temporarily shut down after the group stormed it as part of their vocal protest against cuts to the crucial service

The red carpet was temporarily shut down after the group stormed it as part of their vocal protest against cuts to the crucial service

A Suffragettes demonstration in 1914 - the women chained themselves together and carried large placards criticising the then government

A Suffragettes demonstration in 1914 - the women chained themselves together and carried large placards criticising the then government

The film's British stars Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter said the protest, which the group said was inspired by the suffragettes, was the 'perfect response' to the movie's message

The film's British stars Carey Mulligan and Helena Bonham Carter said the protest, which the group said was inspired by the suffragettes, was the 'perfect response' to the movie's message

The incident happened at the opening night of the BFI London Film Festival. 

Period drama Suffragette tells the story of the British women's suffrage movement of the late 19th and early 20th century, with Meryl Streep playing British suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst. 

Around a dozen members of Sisters Uncut group, which describes itself as a network being set up to highlight cuts to domestic violence services, stormed the red carpet and laid themselves down - a protest method used by the original suffragettes.

The protesters carried banners saying 'cuts kill' and 'dead women can't vote'.

'We are suffragettes,' they shouted, and 'Domestic violence cuts kill,' referring to cuts to domestic abuse services.

Other protesters held banners with the words '50/50 Parliament', calling for equality in the British Government.

During the incident the red carpet was temporarily shut down as security guards attempted the remove the protesters.   

Security guards seemed initially unsure how to deal with the protesters as they lay on the carpet but soon began dragging them away

Security guards seemed initially unsure how to deal with the protesters as they lay on the carpet but soon began dragging them away

A protester is led away from the red carpet during a protest at the Suffragette premiere this evening - they chanted 'dead women can't vote'

A protester is led away from the red carpet during a protest at the Suffragette premiere this evening - they chanted 'dead women can't vote'

Sisters Uncut describes itself as a network being set up to highlight government cuts to domestic violence services across the country

Sisters Uncut describes itself as a network being set up to highlight government cuts to domestic violence services across the country

Scenes from real life mirrored those in the drama as the protesters shouted similar slogans to those bellowed out by the suffragettes

Scenes from real life mirrored those in the drama as the protesters shouted similar slogans to those bellowed out by the suffragettes

The protesters from Sisters Uncut carried banners saying 'cuts kill', 'dead women can't vote' and 'they cut we bleed'

The protesters from Sisters Uncut carried banners saying 'cuts kill', 'dead women can't vote' and 'they cut we bleed'

Other protesters held banners with the words '50/50 Parliament', calling for gender equality in the British Government

Other protesters held banners with the words '50/50 Parliament', calling for gender equality in the British Government

During the incident the red carpet was temporarily shut down as security guards attempted the remove the protesters

During the incident the red carpet was temporarily shut down as security guards attempted the remove the protesters

Around a dozen members of the group, which describes itself as a network being set up to highlight cuts to domestic violence services, stormed the red carpet and lay down - a method used by the original suffragettes

Around a dozen members of the group, which describes itself as a network being set up to highlight cuts to domestic violence services, stormed the red carpet and lay down - a method used by the original suffragettes

The film's stars said the group's protest was the 'perfect response' to the movie's empowering message for women

The film's stars said the group's protest was the 'perfect response' to the movie's empowering message for women

Janelle Brown, a member of Sisters Uncut, told BBC London: 'We came to the Suffragette premiere today because the struggle is definitely not over. Dead women can't vote.'

 'Two women each week are killed in Britain because of domestic violence. Austerity reduces women's access to legal aid and support services. The most drastic cuts were to specialist services.

'We're a direct action group and we know that was the tactic the suffragettes used too.' 

Bonham Carter said: 'I think it's marvellous. That is exactly what the suffragettes were about. 

'Hopefully the film will inspire anybody who feels an injustice has been done, to be bold enough to protest.' 

Actress Garai said: 'I haven't spoken to them or seen their demands but I'm happy to see the suffrage movement is alive and happening.' 

Helen Pankhurst, (pictured right) the great grand-daughter of suffragette Emmeline, and Laura Pankhurst (left) - Emmeline's great great grand-daughter also attended the gala screening

Helen Pankhurst, (pictured right) the great grand-daughter of suffragette Emmeline, and Laura Pankhurst (left) - Emmeline's great great grand-daughter also attended the gala screening

Period drama Suffragette tells the story of the British women's suffrage movement of the late 19th and early 20th century, with Meryl Streep (left) playing British suffragette leader Emmeline Pankhurst (right)

Suffragette Emily Davison is pictured shortly after throwing herself under the Kings Horse in the 1913 Derby - she was killed in the incident

Suffragette Emily Davison is pictured shortly after throwing herself under the Kings Horse in the 1913 Derby - she was killed in the incident

The Suffragette pilgrimage to London in 1913. A crowd of thousands is pictured arriving at Hyde Park at the beginning of the march

The Suffragette pilgrimage to London in 1913. A crowd of thousands is pictured arriving at Hyde Park at the beginning of the march

Suffragette Flora Drummond pictured being arrested in Hyde Park on Ulster Day in April 1914. Nicknamed The General, Drummond was imprisoned nine times for her activism in the Women's Suffrage movement

Suffragette Flora Drummond pictured being arrested in Hyde Park on Ulster Day in April 1914. Nicknamed The General, Drummond was imprisoned nine times for her activism in the Women's Suffrage movement

Helen Pankhurst, the great grand-daughter of suffragette Emmeline, and Laura Pankhurst - Emmeline's great great grand-daughter also attended the gala screening, which comes ahead of the film's general release on October 12. 

New mother Mulligan, who plays aspiring suffragette Maud Watts, said becoming a parent has made the film 'more poignant'.

She said: 'Hopefully this film will inspire everyone in the way they view the world. We are an unbalanced society - women and men - and films like this inspire conversations about how we can correct that imbalance.'

Mulligan, who is married to musician Marcus Mumford, said women still have a long way to go before they are on an equal footing with men.

'It's slow and steady. We are optimistic that things need to change and brilliant actresses like Jennifer Lawrence are making enormous amounts of money in the box office and Hollywood is starting to realise there might be something in it.'

Stellar cast: The film stars a plethora of talent (left to right) Brendan Gleeson, Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Abi Morgan, Sarah Gavron and Ben Whishaw

Stellar cast: The film stars a plethora of talent (left to right) Brendan Gleeson, Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne-Marie Duff, Abi Morgan, Sarah Gavron and Ben Whishaw

Ruffle up some feathers with Carey's dress by Chanel Couture

Chanel autumn/winter 2015 couture

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No one can pull off a Chanel couture runway look any classier than Carey Mulligan.

The brunette beauty stunned at the London premiere of Suffragette in a semi sheer ruffled gown from the autumn/winter 2015 collection which was set in a casino, so you won’t go wrong by taking a gamble on this creation.

Carey pulls off the oversize ruffles and voluminous shift-style silhouette with effortless ease, simply finishing off the look with black strappy sandals and a neutral, fresh make-up and hair look.

The sad part of the deal is although Carey looks fabulous and we want to emulate her look in time for the Christmas parties, her dress is sadly not available to buy online, so you'll have to pick one of the alternatives in the edit below from the likes of Shoptiques, Shopbop, Dillard's and more. We'll be styling ours with a matte red lip and some barely there sandals for a 1920s touch.

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Duff, who has a young son with husband James McAvoy, has also been educating her child about gender equality. 

She explained: 'We are all the same. It doesn't matter what bits of flesh we have - we are all equal. And if we have the same skills we should be paid equally for them.'

Earlier at the film's press conference, Meryl Streep - who portrays Emmeline Pankhurst - hit out at the male-dominated film-making industry, saying the inequality made her 'infuriated'. 

Promotional T-shirts for the film have drawn criticism online for carrying the words 'I'd rather be a rebel than a slave' - taken from a speech by Pankhurst from 1913 demanding votes for women.

Critics complained the photoshoot for Time Out magazine, which showed Streep, Mulligan and co-stars Romola Garai and Anne-Marie Duff wearing the T-shirts, ignores the historical context of the term 'slave' and suggests that slavery is a choice. 

Emmeline Pankhurst (14 July 1858 - 14 June 1928)

Born Emmeline Goulden on 14 July 1858 in Manchester 

She married Richard Pankhurst who was a lawyer and supporter of the women's suffrage movement 

In 1889, Emmeline founded the Women's Franchise League, which fought to allow married women to vote in local elections 

In 1903, she help found the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU), an organisation that gained much notoriety for its activities and the first to be called 'suffragettes' 

She was arrested on numerous occasions and went on hunger strike, resulting in violent force-feeding and due to this the 'Cat and Mouse Act' was passed 

In 1918, the Representation of the People Act gave voting rights to women over 30

She died on 14 June 1928, which was shortly after women were granted equal voting rights with men at the age of 21

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