As long as it takes
"I want to go back to my own kids and look them in the face again knowing that I've done all I can to try and save the children of Iraq and other countries who are dying because of my government's unjust, amoral, fear - and money - driven policies. These children and people of other countries are every bit as valuable and worthy of love as my precious wife and children."
How many must die?
Brian started his 24/7 vigil in 2001 to protest about the suffering of Iraqis during the 1990s because of economic sanctions. He continues because of all those who have, and continue, to suffer as a result of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. In Oct 2004 The Lancet estimated that 100,000 Iraqis have died. In Oct 2006 it was estimated that 655,000 people have died in Iraq as a result of the 2003 invasion (see more here). And how many millions of other lives have been blighted for ever?
Send Brian a postcard of support c/o Parliament Square, London SW1A
This photo was taken by Gemma Day in Dec 04 for an Independent on Sunday article. See all media articles
Mark Thomas, comedian and campaigner, 2004
" ...Now they wish to evict Brian from his place of protest. Maybe because he is an embarrassment to such a war mongering government. Whatever their reason it is wrong. A democracy that can not stand one man and some placards outside its front doors doesn't seem to have much faith in itself. That is why I support Brian for Parliament."
The heroic Brian Haw
Letter in The Independent, 2 Aug 05
Sir: Brian Haw has struck a major blow for international peace in his passive defiance of government aggression in the face of his peace protest (report, 30 July). I cannot think of anyone who has sacrificed as much as he has on a personal level in the cause of peace in this country and I would like to see him being nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Andrew Stephenson, Newhaven, East Sussex
Jenny Jones, GLA Green Party Gp, 23 May 06
"In my view, Brian is doing us all an amazing service. He is the visible presence of widespread opposition to the aggression on Iraq and a constant reminder to both the Blairs (PM and Met Commissioner) that this government is out of touch with the people it wants to govern. If Brian is moved, it means a loss of civil liberties that will diminish the whole of society."
Brian shortlisted for Human Rights Award
"For outstanding commitment to justice by maintaining constant vigil outside parliament demanding respect for the human rights of those in other countries. For tireless and passionate defence of freedom of speech."
The 2005 award is organised by the human rights campaigning organisation Liberty and Justice and The Law Society and is sponsored by the Bar Council. See here.
John McDonnell MP
'The Government will be passing power to one part of the state to control demonstrations in a way that we have never known before in the history of this country. Tonight, we are seeing a small but significant part of our democratic tradition being chiselled away. Why? Because one person out there has the moral authority, the guts, the tenacity and the courage to stand in Parliament square for several years telling us what we did wrong in this House by authorising a war. Part of the motivation behind this legislation is that some people cannot come to terms with the illegality and immorality of their actions in this place. We should be supporting that democratic voice out there, and the right of that individual to voice his concerns in this way—near to us.
Commons debate in Feb 05 on the passing of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) which banned unauthorised protest near Parliament. See more
|
|
return to press
releases
PRESS RELEASE
4 February 2005
A GROWING COALITION OF VOICES DEMONSTRATE AGAINST
GOVERNMENT PLANS TO STOP THE RIGHT TO PROTEST AROUND PARLIAMENT
Demonstration, Monday 7 February, 2-8pm,
Parliament Sq: A large coalition of campaigners against
the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, that would end the
right to protest in a zone 1km around Parliament Square, will
be holding a protest opposite Parliament as MPs debate the legislation
in the House of Commons. (1: See full list below) Protest will
include speeches from the different constituencies that would
be affected by the ban, the reading of names of Iraqi and British
people who have lost their lives as a result of the US-UK occupation,
statements from soldiers refusing to return to Iraq, poetry reading
and music.
Campaigners calling this protest include a large
range of organisationgs and prominent individuals such as Military
Families against War, Tahrir Swift, Muslim Parliament of Great
Britain, Vanessa & Corin Redgrave, the Green Party, Trisha
Goddard: daytime TVhost Campaign Against Criminalising Communities.
Many other organistions and well known individuals are supporting
the opposition to this Bill.
John McDonnell and other MPs are also supporting
the protest, and there is expected to be significant dissent within
the Commons during the debate as a number of MPs have expressed
their opposition to this part of the Bill. (2)
The measure that would end the right to protest
has been included in the Bill primarily to evict Brian Haw from
Parliament Square where he has been since June 2001 in protest
at the government’s policy towards Afghanistan and then
Iraq. Also under threat is the two-year old anti-war Community
Speakout of the Global Women’s Strike. However, the legislation
will be much broader in its impact, and could stop all protest
in a very large area (3).
The campaigners point to the Human Rights Act, which
guarantees the freedom of speech and association, which the Government
will be overruling in order to pass this legislation. In October
2002, Mr Haw won a High Court victory when the judged ruled that
Mr Haw was exercising his right to freedom of speech in Parliament
Square and the pavement obstruction was not 'unreasonable'.
Despite there already being legislation in place
to stop protestors hindering the workings of Parliament, the new
law would allow for peaceful protestors to be moved on merely
for ‘spoiling the visual aspect’ or the ‘enjoyment
of members of the public’. One police constable would be
able to say how big a protest can be, what can happen within it
and if, indeed, a protest can occur at all. If protestors, however
peaceful, do not comply immediately they can be jailed for a year.
Kay Chapman of the Global Women’s Strike said,
“For over 350 years, people have exercised their right to
speak out in Parliament Square but the Government is so embarrassed
by the ongoing public hostility to their warmongering and the
massive devastation they have caused that they are prepared to
clamp down on any dissenting voices. The exclusion zone for protestors
anywhere near Parliament would go as far as Trafalgar Square,
Waterloo Station or Buckingham Palace. Given the government’s
dismantling of fundamental rights – detaining people indefinitely
without charge, the power to hold suspects incommunicado and proposing
house arrest for any one of us – it is urgent to act now,
before we wake up in a police State, compliments of Parliament.”
Contacts: For a briefing on the
Bill and an up-dated list of speakers and supporters see www.globalwomenstrike.net,
020 7482 2496, womenstrike8m@server101.com or Brian Haw’s
support website: www.parliament-square.org.uk, info@parliament-square.org.uk
Notes
1. The demonstration has been jointly called by: Action Against
War, African Liberation Support Campaign, All African Womens Group,
Barnet Green Party, Camden Green Party, Campaign Against Criminalising
Communities (CAMPACC), Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!, the Global
Women’s Strike, Greater London Pensioners Association, the
Green Party, Legal Action for Women, Military Families Against
War, Muslim Parliament of Great Britain, Network for Economic
and Political Democracy, Orpington CND, Parliament Square Church,
Payday, Peace and Human Rights Trust, Peace & Progress, South
Somerset Peace Group, SOS : Save Our Speech: Parliament Square
- supporters of Brain Haw, Stop the War Coalition, Voices in the
Wilderness UK, Wimbledon Disarmament Coalition/CND, Women in Black
– London, Michael Culver, John McDonnell MP, Tricia Goddard,
Brian Haw, Corin Redgrave, Vanessa Redgrave, Tahrir Swift, Amanda
Ward. Other supporters of the campaign to oppose this legislation
include: Act Together: Women’s Action for Iraq, Alex Cox,
Jeremy Hardy, Jean Lambert Green Party MEP, John Pilger, Mark
Thomas, Hilary Wainwright (Red Pepper Magazine) and many other
individuals. For the full list see http://www.globalwomenstrike.net/English2004/petition_signatories.htm
and www.parliament-square.org.uk/statement.
2. See website for quotes by MPs from different parties opposing
the ban.
3. The legislation can be viewed at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200405/cmbills/005/2005005.htm
|
