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http://politics.guardian.co.uk/commons/story/0,9061,962319,00.html

Demo ban threat to Westminster

Parliament Square's live-in protester faces eviction if a ban on protest is introducted

Mark Lobel
Friday May 23, 2003

Brian Haw, Westminister's live-in protester
Pavement patch; Protester Brian Haw has spent years sleeping outside paliament. Photo: Martin Argles.

It's 1.37pm on Thursday May 22 on the pavement in Parliament Square opposite the House of Commons. The self-proclaimed "peace-man" Brian Haw, 54, is shouting at a rather frantic 55-year-old man.

The unnamed man shouts: "It's satanic deception. It's man's protest, not God's!"

And storms off.

It is day 719 of Brian's peaceful presence on the pavement, among the flock of "Anti-war', "Free Palestine", "Stop the killing" and laminated John Pilger articles, where he also sleeps.

He relies on small donations to remain there, he claims.

He appears tanned and rugged, one journalist having described him as "Clint Eastwood on a good day".

He laughs off the angry man, proclaiming: "Mr Blair is the one that's committed treason. I am like the mad prophet outside the King's gates. I'm not committing a crime!"

Not yet, anyway.

A few days earlier, Jeremy Corbyn, Labour MP for Islington North, cycled by and warned Brian that a fellow MP was after him.

It is Graham Allen, Labour MP for Nottingham North, who last week tabled an amendment to the anti-social behaviour bill to ban "individuals forming part of any permanent or semi-permanent group in Parliament Square".

If successful, police would be ordered to evict him within 12 hours.

Mr Allen considers that the protesters in Parliament Square, or as he terms them "the assortment of demonstrators", are too free.

There are no concrete powers to ensure they are moved on if they become too noisy or inhibit the enjoyment of the site by visitors and locals, he believes.

A Home Office spokesman said: "There are existing powers for dealing with public order offences. The Home Office is not considering anything specific to Parliament Square."

In fact, Essex-born Mr Haw has seen this before.

Since he began his protest on June 2nd 2001, the former merchant seaman and father of seven has had to endure a previous attempt at eviction.

In October 2002, a high court judge refused to grant Westminster council an injunction to remove him from his patch of pavement.

Brian said: "I think Graham Allen is a danger. He needs to read the Human Rights Act and the judge's statement that 'there is no pressing social reason to interfere with Mr Haw's display'."

Mr Allen told Guardian Unlimited his main grievance was when protestors used a loudspeaker, which disturbed many in the corridors facing the square, but conceded: "It's become silly, really. This is not one of my priorities."

Alarmingly, he did not know of Mr Haw, despite his presence in the square for nearly two years.

Texan tourist Tara Morgan, 18, said yesterday: "Doesn't that go against free speech? I think the protests are great.

"I would hope that the protesters against the war would have as much say as the lot in there," she added, pointing over her shoulder to the House of Commons.

It is put to Mr Haw that another attempt to thwart his peace presence and many more days surrounded by claims of failed wars, illegal occupations and human rights abuses must be bleak.

He responds: "It would be depressing if there wasn't hope, but there is."

A history of ideas

March 2003
Mr Allen planned to have lay people and politicians on sentencing panels - irritating judges.

December 2002
He announced the formation of a new watchdog called "Ofmin", to scrutinise and improve the performance of ministers. After sending a letter to every MP outlining proposals such as "beacon ministers" able to take major decisions alone, Allen said: "It was a joke."

September 2002
The MP was among the first to call for a recall of parliament to discuss the war on Iraq - for which he received Channel 4's Backbencher of the Year award.

November 2001
Mr Allan began campaigning for parliament to accept his view that we now have a "UK presidency".