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68-571: Brian William Haw (7 January 1949 – 18 June 2011) was a British protester and peace campaigner who lived for almost ten years in a peace camp in London's Parliament Square from 2001, in a protest against UK and US foreign policy. He began the Parliament Square Peace Campaign before the September 11 attacks , and became a symbol of the anti-war movement over the policies of both

136-546: A constable and introduced restrictions on protests in the vicinity of the Palace of Westminster . It was introduced into the House of Commons on 24 November 2004 and was passed by Parliament and given royal assent on 7 April 2005. Measures to introduce a specific offence of "incitement to religious hatred" were included in early drafts of the Act, but then dropped so the bill would pass before

204-569: A brief inquiry in summer 2003 which heard evidence that permanent protests in Parliament Square could provide an opportunity for terrorists to disguise explosive devices, and resulted in a recommendation that the law be changed to prohibit them. The Government passed a provision banning all unlicensed protests, permanent or otherwise, in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (sections 132 to 138); however, because Haw's protest

272-748: A candidate in the London Mayoral Elections in May 2008, but eventually he did not stand. On 17 April 2008 he gave his support to the Christian Choice candidate Alan Craig . On 25 May 2010 the day of the State Opening of Parliament for the new Conservative - Liberal Democrat coalition government , Haw was arrested at 8:30 am. In September 2010 Haw was diagnosed with lung cancer. On 1 January 2011 he left England to receive treatment in Berlin. Haw, who

340-484: A defence by saying that as Mr Haw is safe from prosecution anyone who joins him is also safe." The question posed by the magistrate was: "Was it lawful under section 6 (1) HRA to convict the appellant?" The Administrative Court held that SOCPA was not incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (specifically, Articles 10 (freedom of expression) and 11 (freedom of assembly)), and that Tucker's conviction

408-528: A demonstration in Parliament Square. The hearing before the Administrative Court was adjourned because Mr Haw had not been served with relevant documents in time to give them proper consideration. Haw sought a large number of directions from the court on 18 November 2008. After some delay the directions of the court were eventually published in March 2009: The court was un-persuaded that a full transcript of

476-507: A peace camp on Drake's Island , just off Plymouth . In August 2005, Cindy Sheehan set up Camp Casey , a peace camp named after her son, outside the Texas ranch of United States President George W. Bush , through which she has attracted considerable media attention. The term peace camp is primarily used for a form of anti-war protest camp particularly prevalent in the UK in the 1980s, however, it

544-440: A plea. The court entered a not guilty plea on his behalf, and he was bailed to return to court on 11 July 2006. At a licensing hearing at Westminster City Council on 30 June 2006, Haw was granted limited permission to use a loudspeaker in the space allowed to him. On 22 January 2007 Haw was acquitted on the grounds that the conditions he was accused of breaching were not sufficiently clear, and that they should have been imposed by

612-427: A police officer of higher rank. District Judge Purdy ruled: "I find the conditions, drafted as they are, lack clarity and are not workable in their current form." At the 2007 Channel 4 Political Awards Haw was voted Most Inspiring Political Figure. Haw was featured in several documentaries including 2003's "As Long As It Takes" (Raj Yagnik). Haw was briefly portrayed in the 2007 drama The Trial of Tony Blair . Haw

680-645: A removals man and as a carpenter, and later with youth in Redditch , Worcestershire. He married his wife Kay in Redbridge in June 1977. They lived in Redditch with their seven children until he left them in 2001 to begin his Parliament Square protest. The couple divorced in 2003. On 2 June 2001, he began camping in Parliament Square in central London in a one-man political protest against war and foreign policy (initially,

748-456: A result of Brian Haw and his Parliament Square Peace Campaign . Haw was a peace campaigner, who from 1 June 2001 until his death on 18 June 2011 protested against Britain and the United States' policy towards Iraq . He used placards and a loudspeaker to get his message across, which some British MPs found disruptive. Patrick Cormack MP said in a Parliamentary debate on 7 February 2005 that

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816-579: A small bronze maquette on a plinth opposite the big guns of the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth. In January 2007, former Turner Prize nominee Mark Wallinger recreated Brian Haw's Parliament Square protest in its entirety as an exhibition at Tate Britain , titled State Britain . Running the length of the Duveen Gallery, State Britain was a painstaking reconstruction of the display confiscated by

884-649: A sniper in the Reconnaissance Corps in the Second World War, and had been one of the first British soldiers to enter the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp . He later worked as a railway clerk, and also worked in a betting office. He took his own life when Haw was 13. Haw's mother was Iris Marie Haw (née Hall). Haw's family were involved in an evangelical Christian church in Whitstable, which Haw joined when he

952-433: A statement by Haw himself about his motivations for the protest. In 2018, artists Guy Atkins, Nina Garthwaite and James Bulley created an audio monument to Brian Haw. Conceived within the tradition of countermonuments, the audio work - 'And There Was Brian' - can only be heard in Parliament Square through the monument's GPS-restricted website, andtherewasbrian.uk . Through a montage of archive material and audio recorded in

1020-454: Is also sometimes used to describe political factions before or during wartime that are opposed to a particular war. These are not a physical camps but political alliances. Currently, there is an Israeli peace camp . In addition, the term is sometimes used for summer camps that bring together youth from different groups in conflict (e.g., Palestinian and Israeli youth) to work towards transformation and improvement of mutual relations. While

1088-419: Is guilty of an offence they suspect has been committed. These powers to arrest only apply if one or more of the following reasons apply: Given the scope of the last two provisions, a new Code of Practice was issued for guidance. These changes were enacted on 1 January 2006. Sections 128-131 criminalise trespass at certain "Protected Sites", which consist of nuclear sites and additional sites designated by

1156-569: The 2005 general election . The offence has since been created by the Racial and Religious Hatred Act 2006 . The Act applies principally to England and Wales but s.179 permits the extent or designates sections applying only to Scotland and/or Northern Ireland; additionally s.179(9) extends the application of four sections (ss.172, 173, 177, 178) beyond the United Kingdom to the Channel Islands and

1224-589: The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police six days in advance, or if this is not reasonably practicable then no less than 24 hours in advance. The area itself is defined by a Statutory Instrument , the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Designated Area) Order 2005, rather than the Act. It specifically excludes Trafalgar Square , a traditional site of protest on the northern boundary of

1292-604: The Economic sanctions against Iraq ). By his own account, he was first inspired to take up his vigil after seeing the images and information produced by the Mariam Appeal , an anti-sanctions campaign. Haw justified his campaign on a need to improve his children's future. He only left his makeshift campsite to attend court hearings, surviving on food brought by supporters. Support for Haw's protest came from former Labour cabinet minister Tony Benn and activist/comedian Mark Thomas . Among

1360-461: The Iraq War . In February 2005, peace activists and residents began a peace camp at the village of Daechuri , South Korea , in opposition to the expansion of Camp Humphreys , which declared autonomy from Korea on February 7, 2006. As of October 2006, resisting residents remain on-site, despite demolition of homes owned by residents who have accepted compensation. On May 13, 2005, protesters set up

1428-593: The Isle of Man . The Act introduced changes to the powers of arrest utilised by both " constables " and "other persons" in England and Wales. The term arrestable offence ceased to have effect as, bar a few preserved exemptions, one power of arrest now applies to all offences when the arrest is made by a constable. Where the threshold of an arrestable offence was previously used to enable specific powers of search or powers to delay certain entitlements, these powers are preserved, but

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1496-659: The Seneca Women's Encampment for a Future of Peace and Justice in Romulus, New York , the site of the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention , to demand the abolition of nuclear weapons. In 2001 Brian Haw set up the Parliament Square Peace Campaign outside the Houses of Parliament in London . In August 2007 others who had joined him were evicted but he was allowed to stay. A peace camp was set up at Fairford on 17 February 2003 in protest against

1564-432: The 1920s. The first modern peace camps were the various (initially mixed but later) women-only peace camps at the military base at Greenham Common , England, set up in 1981. Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp maintained a presence at the camp until 2000. Women-only peace camps were based at Waddington, Lincs from April – September 1982 and Capenhurst October 1982 – March 1983. Other, mixed-sex, peace camps sprang up at

1632-573: The Act was in December 2005, when Maya Evans was convicted for reading the names of British soldiers killed in the Iraq War , near the Cenotaph in October, without police authorisation. In 2006, the comedian and political activist Mark Thomas attacked this section of the act by organising several protests within the area, within the confines of the law. His most notable was when he organised 21 protests over

1700-615: The Central Criminal Court, and carrying on unauthorised demonstration by herself in a public place in a designated area, namely Parliament Square. Her defence was that Haw had invited her to join him in his demonstration. He gave evidence on her behalf to that effect. The magistrate said: "Had I accepted this evidence (which I did not) it would have been argued that the allegation that she had 'carried on an unauthorised demonstration by herself ...' could not have been made out, and furthermore (in my view incorrectly) that it would provide

1768-546: The Metropolitan Police in 2006. It included 500 weather-worn banners, photos, peace flags, and messages from well-wishers collected by Haw over the duration of the Peace Protest, as well as his self-constructed shelter. In December 2007 Wallinger's work won the Turner Prize . The London-based band XX Teens recorded a song "For Brian Haw", which was included on their 2008 album Welcome To Goon Island . The track incorporated

1836-581: The Secretary of State. The latter consist of a range of royal, parliamentary, and government sites. Trespass is punishable on summary conviction with a fine and/or imprisonment for up to a year. In addition to the Protected Sites, the Act is controversial primarily for sections 132 to 138, which restrict the right to demonstrate within a "designated area" of up to one kilometre from any point in Parliament Square . Demonstrators must give written notice to

1904-494: The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 as their reason for doing so. Ian Blair (head of the Metropolitan Police at the time) later said that the operation to remove Haw's placards had cost £27,000. The actions of the police were criticised by members of the Metropolitan Police Authority at its monthly meeting on 25 May 2006. Haw appeared at Bow Street Magistrates' Court on 30 May, when he refused to enter

1972-747: The United Kingdom and the United States in Afghanistan and later Iraq . At the 2007 Channel 4 Political Awards he was voted Most Inspiring Political Figure. Haw died of cancer in Berlin , where he had been receiving medical treatment. Haw was born on 7 January 1949, in Wanstead Hospital , in Woodford Green , Essex a twin and the eldest of six. He grew up in neighbouring Barking and in Whitstable , Kent. His father, Robert William Haw (1925–1964), served as

2040-493: The United States, calling for nuclear disarmament . The women at Greenham Common Women's Peace Camp were particularly against the placing of US cruise missiles there, something they claimed made the area a direct target of Soviet Union aggression. During the 1980s the United States Air Force had land-based cruise missiles at several of the above locations, not only Greenham Common; they have since been moved back to

2108-421: The United States, though there remains a US military presence in the UK, and the UK continues to possess and develop nuclear weapons itself. Due to these factors the concept of the peace camp remains alive today; and because of the presence of Faslane Peace camp there has continuously been at least one peace camp outside a military base in the UK since 1982. The first peace camps are known to have originated in

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2176-517: The act did apply to him. The court found that the intent of parliament was clearly to apply to all demonstrations in Parliament Square regardless of when they had begun, saying "The only sensible conclusion to reach in these circumstances is that Parliament intended that those sections of the Act should apply to a demonstration in the designated area, whether it started before or after they came into force. Any other conclusion would be wholly irrational and could fairly be described as manifestly absurd." In

2244-681: The area. Apart from Parliament it also includes Whitehall , Downing Street , Westminster Abbey , the Middlesex Guildhall , New Scotland Yard , and the Home Office . It also covers a small section of land on the other bank of the River Thames , including County Hall , the Jubilee Gardens , St Thomas' Hospital and the London Eye . These provisions of the Act were introduced partially as

2312-530: The artwork displayed was a Banksy stencil of two soldiers painting over a peace sign and Leon Kuhn 's anti-war political caricature 3 Guilty Men , which, together with Kuhn's The Proud Parents , Mark Wallinger later displayed in his recreation at the Tate in 2007. He originally camped on the grass in Parliament Square, but the Greater London Authority took legal action to remove him, so he relocated to

2380-410: The book Wall and Peace . in 2011 London Assembly Member Jenny Jones called for Westminster Council to erect a blue plaque for Brian Haw immediately, bypassing English Heritage 's criteria that the person commemorated should have been dead for two decades or passed the centenary of their birth, whichever is the earlier. In 2023 Actor Sir Mark Rylance headed a crowdfunding campaign to erect

2448-581: The camps in an attempt to turn the Apaches into farmers. Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 The Serious Organized Crime and Police Act 2005 (c. 15) (often abbreviated to SOCPA or SOCAP ) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom aimed primarily at creating the Serious Organised Crime Agency . It also significantly extended and simplified the powers of arrest of

2516-473: The course of a single day within the area. This act got Thomas into the Guinness Book of Records for taking part in the most protests in a single day. However, as the first and last protest took place in the same location, only 20 protests are recognised by Guinness. In January 2007 Tate Britain opened State Britain , an installation by artist Mark Wallinger that recreated the display confiscated by

2584-444: The declaration of the result. As preparation for implementing the new Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 began, Haw won an application for judicial review on 28 July 2005, successfully arguing that a technical defect in the act meant it did not apply in his case. The act states that demonstrations must have authorisation from the police "when the demonstration starts", and Haw asserted that his demonstration had begun before

2652-411: The hearing was necessary, even though Haw claimed that it would show that the court sidestepped the issue as to the legality of the seizure. The case of Tucker v Director of Public Prosecutions , 2007 was an appeal by way of case stated. The appellant, Barbara Tucker, was convicted under Section 132 (1)(c) of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (SOCPA), of being within the jurisdiction of

2720-466: The kilometre-radius of parliament without prior authorisation being needed. In October 2007, the Home Office published a public consultation document, Managing Protest Around Parliament , which "takes another look at sections 132–138 [of SOCPA] and explores whether there is another way to address the situation that would both uphold the right to protest while also giving police the powers they need to keep

2788-428: The legislation. The legislation initially appeared ineffective against Haw. The High Court of Justice ruled that as Haw's protest had begun in June 2001 he was not required to get authorisation. The three-strong judicial panel accepted arguments by Haw's lawyers that the law only applied to demonstrations that took place after it came into force, not those previously in progress. However, on 8 May 2006, this decision

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2856-557: The lives of "members of staff in Portcullis House and 1 Parliament Street, as well as the police who are on duty at Members' entrance day after day ... are made intolerable by those people baying away, without a crowd to address, merely repeating themselves ad nauseam ." However, others, such as Jeremy Corbyn MP disagreed, saying "The Minister should think carefully about removing rights that are enshrined in our history", and Glenda Jackson MP agreed with him, saying "I regard it as

2924-587: The meantime Haw had applied for permission to continue his demonstration, and received it on condition that his display of placards was no more than 3 metres (9.8 ft) wide (among other things). Haw was unwilling to comply and the police referred his case to the Crown Prosecution Service ; a number of supporters began camping with him in order to deter attempts to evict him. In the early hours of 23 May 2006, 78 police arrived and removed all but one of Haw's placards citing continual breached conditions of

2992-547: The military bases of Upper Heyford , Daws Hill in High Wycombe , RAF Molesworth , Lakenheath , Naphill and Faslane . Faslane Peace Camp , which was established in 1982, is still in existence today. There has been a women's peace camp at Aldermaston for one weekend a month since 1985 that continues to meet. A bunker was constructed for RAF Strike Command on National Trust land ( Bradenham Village ) near High Wycombe , England between 1983 and 1985. Naphill Peace camp

3060-770: The music theatre production According to Brian Haw... based on reactions by young people to Haw's life, 9/11 and the Iraq war. This was performed at the Barbican Theatre, Plymouth . This production was again performed in 2012 at Square Chapel Centre for the Arts in Halifax with a new cast of young people. It was developed from a concept by Eddie Latter, music by James Atherton, book and lyrics by Sarah Nelson, directed by Ellie Jones, movement by Eddie Latter, designed by Hannah Boothman. Zia Trench's debut play, The State We're In , based on Haw's life,

3128-473: The organizers of such camps clearly support peaceful solutions, participants may not do so or at least not to the same extent. In addition, these camps are not intended as a "protest camp", but rather to constructively work towards their goals and bring about change in the participants, which are intended to serve as disseminators of peaceful attitudes in their home communities. In the early 19th Century, "Apaches de Paz" or Apache peace camps were established for

3196-458: The passage of the act, which was not made retrospective. Although the commencement order made to bring the act into force had made reference to demonstrations begun before the act came into force, there was no power for the commencement order to extend the scope of the act. The government appealed against the judgement, and on 8 May 2006 the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and therefore declared that

3264-428: The pavement, which was administered by Westminster City Council instead. In October 2002 Westminster City Council attempted to prosecute Haw for causing an obstruction to the pavement, but the case failed as Haw's banners did not impede movement. The continuous use of a megaphone by Haw led to objections by Members of Parliament who had offices close to Haw's protest camp. The House of Commons Procedure Committee held

3332-511: The peace". Campaigners are worried that this document contains new threats to freedom of assembly and the right to protest in that is suggests that there could be "harmonisation of powers to manage marches and assemblies" throughout the UK. Sections 132 to 138 of the Act were repealed by the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 , which provides for a different scheme of "prohibited activities" on Parliament Square. SOCPA also amended

3400-483: The police from Brian Haw's protest. The Tate press release on the exhibition mentioned that the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 prohibited "unauthorised demonstrations within a one kilometre radius of Parliament Square" and that this radius passed through the Duveen Hall, literally bisecting Wallinger's exhibit. Wallinger marked this on the floor with a black line running through the Tate. Press reports dwelt on

3468-563: The potential dangers of this infringement, speculating that the police might even remove the half of the exhibit on the "wrong" side of the line. Charles Thomson of the Stuckists art group wrote to The Guardian , pointing out that the exclusion zone ended at Thorney Street, 300 yards before the Tate. Gordon Brown said that he planned to look again at this section of the SOCPA, meaning that protesters would eventually be able to protest freely in

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3536-570: The purpose of religious conversion. They were established near presidios in the early 19th century by the Spanish in what is now Mexico and the southwestern United States . These were administrated by the Roman Catholic Church to convert the Apaches to Roman Catholicism and - in the eyes of the Spanish - gaining the salvation of the Apaches . Rations and farming supplies were also given out at

3604-471: The store of the London Museum (previously Museum of London), the monument offers an account of Haw's protest through the experience of one of Brian's longest-serving supporters, actor Michael Culver . Haw was featured in the short length documentary Maria: 24hr Peace Picket by Iranian film director Parviz Jahed, about fellow peace campaigner Maria Gallastegui. In 2009, Youth Music Theatre UK developed

3672-526: The threshold is changed to that of an indictable offence . Subject to an overriding requirement that an arrest is reasonably required and that no less intrusive way of advancing the investigation is reasonably available (the "Necessity Test"): the constable may arrest without a warrant anyone who is about to or is in the act of committing an offence, or anyone they have reasonable grounds to suspect of committing or being about to commit an offence. They may also arrest anyone they have reasonable grounds to believe

3740-507: The voice of democracy". Lembit Öpik MP drew attention to the comments of the Prime Minister Tony Blair , who, on 7 April 2002, said: "When I pass protestors every day at Downing Street ... I may not like what they call me, but I thank God they can. That's called freedom." The Home Office stated the security concerns, such as the possibility of explosive devices being left in and around Haw's paraphernalia, were another reason for

3808-406: Was a mirror that the people in the building opposite couldn't bear. ... Now that he's gone, who else have we got?". The British MP John McDonnell has called for a statue of Haw to be assembled to celebrate peace. British artist Banksy honoured Haw with a tribute on his website. Banksy had previously described Haw as 'the best inspiration in London' in a hand written dedication to him in a copy of

3876-568: Was aged 11. Haw was apprenticed to a boat-builder from the age of 16 and then entered the Merchant Navy as a deckhand. He travelled widely before spending six months at evangelical college in Nottingham, after which he preached world peace . Haw visited Northern Ireland in 1970 during The Troubles , as well as the Killing Fields of Cambodia in 1989. After returning to London, he worked as

3944-597: Was an adjourned hearing of an appeal by way of case stated by the Director of Public Prosecutions against a decision of District Judge Purdy in the City of Westminster Magistrates Court on 22 January 2007. The judge ruled that there was no case for the Respondent, Brian Haw, to answer on a charge of knowingly failing to comply with a condition imposed under Section 134 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 ('SOCA') in respect of

4012-569: Was described as a chain smoker , continued to smoke cigarettes until his death. Haw died in Germany in the early hours of 18 June 2011 of lung cancer. He is survived by seven children. Reacting to news of Haw's death, Tony Benn said "Brian Haw was a man of principle ... his death marks the end of a historic enterprise by a man who gave everything to support his beliefs". At his death Al Jazeera described him as an "unsung hero". Mark Wallinger said "I admired [Haw's] single-minded tenacity. His rectitude

4080-401: Was featured with activist Mick Meaney in a documentary by British independent news agency RINF , in which for the first time in the media he stated that he believed "9/11 was an inside job". In the case of Director of Public Prosecutions v Haw , the judgement of the court, delivered by Lord Phillips CJ , included the following: 3. The issues raised by the case stated are as follows: This

4148-511: Was filmed for many months by independent documentary maker Senara Wilson during the buildup to war in 2003. Her film Life of Brian (produced and edited by Matthew Platts-Mills) was selected for the Commonwealth Film Festival. A short version of this documentary is available here. A Man Called Brian was a 2005 documentary film by Mahmoud Shoolizadeh about Haw and his ten-year, 24/7 anti-war protest in Parliament Square . Haw

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4216-464: Was on-going and residing on Parliament Square prior to the enactment of the Act, it was unclear whether the Act applied to him. In the 2005 general election Haw stood as a candidate in the Cities of London and Westminster in order to further his campaign and oppose the Act which was yet to come into force. He won 298 votes (0.8 per cent), making a speech against the ongoing presence of UK troops in Iraq at

4284-687: Was overturned by the Court of Appeal . On 1 August 2005, the day that the Act came into force, the Stop the War Coalition and others organised a protest against the prohibition. They did not officially ask for permission, but at the subsequent court cases it was revealed that the Stop the War Coalition had negotiated with police about the protest. The action attracted some 200 people according to reports – among them Lauren Booth , Tony Blair 's sister-in-law – and five people were arrested. The first conviction under

4352-422: Was performed for the first time at the 2009 Edinburgh Fringe , featuring Michael Byrne in the lead role and directed by Justin Butcher. Peace camp In the United Kingdom, people came to live outside military bases at protest camps in order to witness their opposition to and nonviolently protest against the presence of nuclear weapons in Europe that were directed against the then Soviet Union by

4420-406: Was set up in 1982 on the site of a research and development facility for the production of the Spearfish 7525 torpedo for the Royal Navy . The camp, although anti-war and anti-nuclear in its beliefs, was also supported and attended by local people demonstrating against the loss of green space and the lack of public consultation. The protesters held up the construction work for a number of months and

4488-434: Was set up to witness and oppose this construction. The Angry Pacifist magazine was produced out of Naphill Peace camp. Thomas and Concepcion Picciotto are founders of the longest running peace vigil in the US. The White House Peace Vigil has been located opposite the White House at Lafayette Square on the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. since June 3, 1981. The Brambles Farm Peace Camp

4556-476: Was therefore lawful. On 12 January 2008, Haw was observing a protest against the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act outside Downing Street . Seven people were arrested including Haw, who said "I was filming the students lying down in the road when one officer stepped forward, as I was walking back, and pushed the camera with his hand. It struck my face." He used "violent and humiliating force". In December 2007 press releases stated that Haw had declared himself

4624-412: Was visited by some 3,000 people from this country and abroad. A Torpedo Town festival was held in the area for a number of years afterwards, the largest in 1991 at Liphook in Hampshire when some 25,000 people danced to the Spiral Tribe sound system. These festivals fell foul of the rave party and free festival crackdown in the early 1990s by the Tory government. In 1983, feminists established

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