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PRESS RELEASE
Monday 29 October 2007
PARLIAMENT SQUARE PEACE PROTESTOR TAKES METROPOLITAN
COMMISSIONER TO COURT
Monday 29 October, Southwark Crown Court, 11am.
The case of Brian Haw versus Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of the
Metropolitan Police will be heard at Southwark Crown Court
today.
The case concerns the removal of Mr Haw's display
of banners and placards in May 2006.
The summons was against the Metropolitan Commissioner
was originally issued by District Judge Workman on 27 June. He
also issued summonses against the Chief Superintendents at Charing
Cross and Hendon police stations for "receiving stolen goods",
including artworks by Bansky valued at tens of thousands of pounds.
Mr Haw will argue that the police had no authority
for removing the display, that it was an "illegal seizure" and
as such, the display must be returned to him in Parliament Square.
Mr Haw has been protesting for peace and justice
opposite Parliament since June 2001. Last year, shortly after
the Court of Appeal ruled that new restrictions on unauthorised
protest near Parliament under the Serious Organised Crime and
Police Act (SOCPA) did apply to Mr Haw, his display was dismantled
and removed in the middle of the night on 23 May 2006. Most of
it was put into a container and taken away by the police and
Mr Haw was left with only a few items and only allowed to occupy
a 3 metre long space.
In January this year, District Judge Purdey ruled
that Brian Haw had no case to answer against a charge that he
had failed to comply
with conditions that the police had imposed on his protest under
SOCPA as the conditions were unreasonable and the power to create
them should not have been delegated down from the Metropolitan
Commissioner. (A)
Despite questions over the legality of the raid,
controversy about the police's approach to it and many questions
since as to the cost
of it, the police still have not returned Mr Haw's property.
It was later revealed that the massive police operation cost £111,000
- four times the figure originally estimated. (B)
CONTACTS AND INFORMATION
The case will be heard at: Southwark Crown Court, 1 English Grounds
(off Battlebridge Lane), Southwark, London SE1 2HU
For more information phone 07791 486484.
More information on Mr Haw's protest is available on:
www.parliament-square.org.uk.
NOTES
A. Parliament protester's legal win, 22 January 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6287091.stm
B. £111,000 bill for crackdown on peace
protest, 14 July 2007
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1098162007
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