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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http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3034717a4560,00.html
Peace protester
accused of police assault
15 September 2004
LONDON: British police want to prosecute a peace protester
who has lived and slept outside parliament for three years.
Brian Haw, a 55-year-old father of seven, has become a familiar
feature in Parliament Square, where he has camped out since
June 2001, demonstrating initially about sanctions on Iraq
and then later about the war.
He has appeared at Bow Street Magistrates Court charged with
assaulting an officer and failing to leave a security cordon
area when police tried to move him on.
Haw, who denies the charges, arrived in
court wearing T-shirt, jeans and his trademark hat bedecked
in badges with slogans
like "Love Your Muslim Neighbours" and "Give
Peace A Chance".
A policeman said Haw pushed, abused and kicked at his groin.
He refused to leave after an abandoned car parked outside
the House of Commons sparked a terrorist alert in May this
year, police officer Martin St John told the court.
Haw shouted "Do you want to lose your job?" and
pushed him in the chest, the officer said.
The peace protester has not endeared himself to many politicians,
who see him as a nuisance as he bellows at them through loud
speakers as they enter and leave parliament.
Past court attempts to move Haw and his large collections
of posters, banners, flags and pictures of Iraqi children have
failed. Haw lives in a makeshift tent under a statue of Britain's
World War 2 leader Sir Winston Churchill.
Support for him came from one veteran left-wing politician,
Tony Benn, who gave a character reference.
"I have a high regard for him. He's known across the
world as a man who is against the war," Benn said outside
court.
Haw's lawyer, Kate Aubrey-Johnson, told the magistrates his
arrest just before midnight on May 10 was effectively another
attempt to silence the protest.
Officers removed his banners after the arrest.
"Is the reason you invented the kick in the testicles
because you wanted to have another reason to arrest Mr Haw?" she
said to St John.
Haw, who returned to Parliament Square after his court appearance,
faces a maximum sentence of six months in jail if convicted
of assaulting a police officer.
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