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‘Peaceful’ Tamil protesters are ready to fight proposed ban
Katharine Barney and Rashid Razaq14 May 2009
Tamil protesters today vowed to fight proposed new legislation designed to push them out of Parliament Square.
Proposals were drawn up during an emergency meeting to give police the power to move people on from the square and to make it illegal for demonstrators to camp out overnight.
Westminster Council hopes the legislation can be passed before parliamentary recess in June. It would affect all protesters including veteran peace campaigner Brian Haw.
The proposals have been drawn up by parliament speaker, Michael Martin with consultation from Westminster Council, the Home Office, City Hall and the Metropolitan Police.
Westminster Council is also prepared to hand over ownership of the pavements surrounding the green to the Greater London Authority (GLA) - making any protest camp on the sidewalk illegal.
The legislation has been drafted into response to thousands of Tamil protesters, who have blocked traffic by moving onto the road on several occasions during their otherwise peaceful demonstration.
Protester Robin Anthony, 28, who has been in Parliament Square throughout the last five week demonstration called the proposals “shameful”.
He said: “It is not just about us, but the right to freedom of speech. We are supposed to live in a democratic state. Everyone in the UK should have the human right to come and express themselves here. “If the British government prevents that, then they are no better than the Sri Lankan government who are committing a genocide against the Tamil people.”
Student Pavani Srikanda, 21, who is one of the organisers of the Tamil protest, said: “We will oppose any plans to move us from here. In fact we draw strength from the fact that we've put ourselves on the parliamentary agenda.
“We're in the perfect spot to make our voices heard. Our protest has been peaceful. It might have spilled out on to the road a few times, but then hundreds of people are dying each day. You have to look at the bigger picture.”
Brian Haw, who has been protesting since 2001, said he believed any such legislation would be deemed incompatible with the Human Rights Act and overturned by the European Court of Justice if not first the British courts.
Barbara Tucker, who has been keeping a “24/7 anti-war campaign” alongside Mr Haw for the last three years, also questioned the ability of the police to impartially decide when to move protesters on.
She said: “I've been arrested 30 times and faced a hundred legal action in the last three years. This is just another arbitrary attempt to prevent peaceful and lawful protest. How can they (the Government) deny access to a public square which is freely open to tourists? There are no public order offences. No violence. They haven't got a leg to stand on under European law.”
Councillor Colin Barrow, leader of Westminster Council, said the Tamil protests had shown that a change in the law could not “happen soon enough.”
Mr Barrow said: “Parliament Square is becoming a no go area for law abiding people who wish to enjoy the pleasures of one of London's great squares.
“The City Council wants to see the square policed for all, not for a vociferous minority of protesters. We'll back legitimate protest, but not when it becomes a permanent, or ongoing residence of a place that everyone - visitors and Londoners - should be able to enjoy.”
Commons Speaker Michael Martin has told MPs the continued presence of the protesters was a “highly unsatisfactory situation” and had caused an “absolute shambles” by blocking access to the Parliamentary Estate
In a statement, he told the Commons he supports the right to demonstrate but said the recent occupation of the square by Tamil demonstrators disrupted the work of the House, involved considerable cost and exposed many issues of health and safety.
Deputy Mayor for policing Kit Malthouse said: “It's for Parliament to decide what it wants - whether it wants protests and for how long - then the police will enforce the rules appropriately.”
He believes the soonest the legislation could be passed would be in the Queen's Autumnal speech.
Mr Malthouse added: “The police have done a fabulous job but the police shouldn't have to make the decisions about what they can do or take the blame.”
