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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return to defend protest
page
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=579240
Blunkett changes law to evict Commons
anti-war protester
By Colin Brown, Deputy Political
Editor
Published : 04 November 2004
Britain's most persistent anti-war protester yesterday
shouted defiance through his megaphone at the Commons after MPs
were told a new Act of Parliament will be used to outlaw his one-man
demonstration.
The Leader of the House, Peter Hain, said that the
Home Secretary, David Blunkett, would introduce a clause in the
Organised Crime Bill designed to evict Brian Haw, 55, from the
spot he has occupied for three years, outside
the main gates of the Houses of Parliament. The Bill will ban
permanent daytime demonstrations and megaphones in Parliament
Square. It will be a criminal offence to defy the law.
Yesterday, Mr Haw gave his reply through his megaphone.
"It's not a crime to be crying out outside our Parliament
gates," he shouted. "You would make me a criminal? I
am a Godfather? This is my weapon of mass information. Blunkett
wants an Act of Parliament to deal with serious organised crime.
The FBI have a public enemy number in America and Blunkett has
decided I am Britain's public enemy number one. And his evidence:
I have megaphone. And this display: it is the Westminster United
Nations Art Gallery."
Mr Haw has kept up his vigil in all weathers. His
voice has cut through the increasing security around Westminster
to the annoyance of cabinet ministers and many MPs. In a break
from haranguing the MPs, he said: "US Senator
Edward Kennedy's son was here and he told me 'This is about love,
Brian'. Antony Gormley the artist was here and he was in awe at
what he saw. He recognised art, and the expressions of the heart,
and the love and the hopes of people all over the world, expressed
in 30 languages, expressed in their own beautiful words."
Mr Haw, an evangelical Christian, who went to Cambodia
to protest against the killing fields before the rise of Pol Pot,
has spent 1,250 days at Westminster, acting as the public conscience
for the war on Iraq. His relentless chant, "45 minutes Mr
B-liar" left MPs on all sides demanding his removal. But
the High Court threw out previous attempts to evict him.
"Judge Moses and Judge Gray, two High Court
judges of our land, said this protest was legal. 'There is no
pressing social reason to interfere with Mr Brian Haw's display',
Judge Gray said." There was another attempt to remove him
in May when police destroyed his placards and peace banners before
the state visit of the Chinese Prime Minister, Wen Jiabao.
"The police failed in their duty," Mr
Haw said. "They were not to interfere in this right of human
expression. It was turned into a pile of garbage to save Mr Blair's
face when the Chinese Premier was here, because Mr Blair
wanted to scold him about human rights abuses in China. We British,
don't we love to take the piss. There are human rights abuses
in China but Tony Blair is not the one to lecture."
Mr Haw has been visited by well-wishers from around
the world, including Afghanistan, and has helpers, including an
Asian man with a military bearing who stands silently with a protest
sign every Tuesday morning. The women
arrive on Wednesday evenings, and there are his special friends,
including Zenab, an Iraqi girl who lost a leg in a bomb blast
in Basra.
He has paid a heavy price for his vigil. His wife,
Kay, divorced him and he misses his family in Redditch, Worcestershire.
He regrets not being there for his son Peter's 18th birthday,
and his graduation day (he has a sports degree). One daughter
phoned him to say she missed him.
"It strikes a dagger through my heart,"
he said. Then he turned back to the blank windows of the Commons
with his megaphone. "Yes Mr Blunkett, I will cry out against
genocide. I will not give way."
© 2004 Independent News & Media (UK) Ltd.
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