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
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PRESS RELEASE
MONDAY 29 MAY 2006
BRIAN HAW IN COURT ON FIRST CASE RELATING TO SOCPA CONDITIONS
World renowned protest could end just before 5th anniversary
Tuesday 30 May, 9am, Bow Street Magistrates Court, London
The Parliament Square peace protestor, Brian, Haw,
will be appearing in court tomorrow, Tuesday 30
May, for the first time since the Court of Appeal
ruled that his protest is subject to the recent law banning unauthorised
protest. [A]
One result of the court hearing could be that the
police are given further
authority to remove Mr Haw and/or his display from Parliament
Square. Mr Haw
has been continuing his non-stop protest against the government’s
foreign
policy since June 2001 and supporters are due to celebrate his
5 year stand
on Friday 2 June. [B]
Mr Haw is charged with offences under the Serious
Organised Crime and Police
Act 2005 (SOCPA) for failing to comply with conditions that the
police have
placed upon his demonstration. After the Court of Appeal judgement
on 8 May
which ruled that Mr Haw was not exempt from the SOCPA regulations,
the
police granted him permission to continue his demonstration subject
to a
comprehensive list of conditions.
Whilst the SOCPA law states that organisers of
protests who apply for
permission must be granted it, it allows for a wholesale curbing
of any
demonstration by the application of police conditions covering
the time and
duration of a protest, where it may be carried out, the number
of people
attending and the noise that can be made and the number and size
of placards
and banners. It also allows for any senior police officer to
change the
conditions at any point with no notice. [C]
This case is believed to be the first prosecution
relating to failure to
comply with SOCPA conditions. Other prosecutions under SOCPA
have been for
organising or participating in unauthorised demonstrations and
there have
been a number of convictions as a result. [D]
Since Mr Haw received the summons, the police have
acted to force him to
comply with the conditions by removing the majority of his display
in
Parliament Square during the night of 23 May. He has been left
with an area
of 3 metres within which any placards and personal possessions
and any
possessions belonging to those of his supporters must remain.
[E]
The list of police conditions relates to
all aspects of Mr Haw’s
demonstration. He considers that they are totally unreasonable,
if not
impossible to comply with, and his legal team have been considering
seeking
a judicial review of the conditions.
Since the raid on Mr Haw’s display,
the police have been criticised by the
Metropolitan Police Authority for the manner in which it was
carried out.
[F] It has also come to light that the Commissioner, Sir Ian
Blair, mis-led
the Authority over the true cost of the operation. [G]
CONTACT & INFORMATION
www.parliament-square.org.uk
NOTES
A. For more on the Court of Appeal decision see:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/story/0,,1770525,00.html
B. Mr Haw arrived in Parliament Square on 2 June
2001. His placards and
banners amounted to both a body of material showing the injustice
suffered
by people, mainly in Iraq, as a result of this Government's foreign
policy
and also a huge show of support for Mr Haw's stand for peace
and justice by
people from all corners of the world.
C. For more information on the Serious Organised
Crime and Police Act 2005
see:
www.parliamentprotest.org.uk or
www.parliament-square.org.uk/defendanalysis.htm
D. For more on SOCPA prosecutions see:
www.parliamentprotest.org.uk or
www.parliament-square.org.uk/defendaction.htm
E. For more on the dismantling of Brian Haw’s
display by the police see:
http://politics.guardian.co.uk/iraq/story/0,,1781182,00.html
F. For more on the criticism of the police
for the dismantling of Mr Haw’s
display see:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/story/0,,1783584,00.html
G. For more on the Metropolitan Police Commissioner
supplying misleading
information see:
The Telegraph, 28 May 2006, http://tinyurl.com/q3f55
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