Farce as peace campaigner has another day in court (Brian Haw / UK)

[struggle4progress]

Hugh Muir
Wednesday May 31, 2006
The Guardian


.. Brian Haw, who has maintained a vigil outside the Houses of Parliament for more than five years, was summonsed to Bow Street magistrates court in London where he was accused of failing to keep adequate control of the demonstration.

The summons said that he had failed to comply with conditions imposed under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act, which only allowed him to erect placards in an area of Parliament Square measuring three metres square and one metre in depth. Mr Haw, 57, who gave his address as Parliament Square, Westminster, told district judge Timothy Workman he was unable to enter a plea because police had "stolen" the placards he intended to use as evidence in his defence. Police seized them last week in a controversial raid involving 78 officers. Mr Workman entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. He adjourned the case until July 11 ...

Mr Haw says his protest is lawful because it started before the new laws came into force but the appeal court rejected his argument this month. Mr Haw has been refused permission to appeal to the Lords ...

He dismissed the restrictions imposed upon him as "tosh". "There are good judges who are horrified and outraged and there are good coppers who are horrified and outraged," he said ...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/antiwar/story/0,,1786523,00.html