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
Wednesday 17 May 2006
BRIAN HAW REFUSES TO REMOVE PICTURES OF EFFECTS OF DEPLETED
URANIUM
On Tuesday 16 May, 2 plain clothes police officers visited Brian
Haw 'requesting' that placards depicting deformed babies in Afghanistan
be removed from public view. The police had received a complaint
by an adult and a child that the picutres were offensive. [A]
The pictures, which show extreme deformities,
are part of a set taken by a Mohammed Daud Miraki, Director
of the Afghan DU & Recovery
Fund - a non-profit organisation. The Fund's purpose is to “ameliorative
efforts aimed at reducing the effetcs of DU (depleted Uranium)
and NDU (non-depleted uranium) caused by the US bombing of Afghanistan.” [B]
Acknowledging that the images are indeed
very distressing, Mr Haw made the following statement: “I was about to read
today's Times Law supplement. My face is on the front page, which
was entitled "Curbing the Right to Protest". The inside
story says "Time To Cry Freedom". I'm stood beside
a placard stating "Face Of The Enemy In Kabul", a graphic
colour photograph of a triplet born in Afghanistan, affected
by our war material, depleted uranium munition. It's a tragic
picture.
“A person claiming to be a CID sergeant, D.S. Robin Gaskill from
Charing Cross police station asked me to remove this sign, claiming
he had a complaint from a member of the public and a child, saying
they found it offensive. I was very upset, outraged. I told him "Yes
it's offensive. Who is the offender? Which is the crime: doing
this awful thing to babies, or displaying and crying out against
it? Mr. Blair is responsible for this crime. Go arrest him."
“We are not criminals for witnessing against this abomination.
We will see you in court. We boomerang this complaint to the
offenders, the government across the road. We are offended so
much by police persecuting us as we try to stop the greatest
crimes of all.”
Mr Haw remains in Parliament Square despite
the Home Office winning its appeal last week making the ban
on unauthorised protest
around Parliament Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005
(SOCPA) apply to Mr Haw. Mr Haw was given permission by the police
to continue his protest and they issued him with a list of conditions
with which he must comply. The very comprehensive conditions
include a limit of 3 metres on the size of Mr Haw’s display
and that no article can conceal or contain other items, and they
must be arranged in such a way that it is possible to tell at
a glance that there are no suspicious items. As Mr Haw has not
as yet complied with these conditions he has been reported to
the Crown Prosecution Service and they will decide what action
to take. [C]
INFORMATION AND CONTACTS
www.parliament-square.org.uk
NOTES:
A. The images can be seen at:
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/05/340346.html
B. For further information about the Afghan
DU & Recovery
Fund see:
http://www.afghandufund.org
C. Brian Haw started his continuous vigil opposite Parliament
on 2nd June 2001 to protest against the economic sanctions that
were having such a disastrous effect of people's lives in Iraq.
He has continued to protest against invasion and occupation of
Afghanistan and Iraq. His display shows the injustice and horrors
that have been suffered as a result of our government's foreign
policy. Brian's message has gone out globally and people visit
him from all over the world. Many have left messages of peace
that now form part of his display. See www.parliament-square.org.uk
for more details.
|
