The British government and London's Metropolitan Police came under heavy criticism today for mercilessly beating up Britain's iconic peace protester Brian Haw over the weekend.
In an unprovoked attack by a police officer, Mr. Haw was assaulted in the face with his own camera and arrested while observing a demonstration against the ban on unauthorised protest under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) which was taking place outside Downing Street.
Mr. Haw, who was bleeding from the assault, was then dragged into the police van where he was further assaulted by policeman, according to witnesses.
"I utterly condemn the aggressive mishandling of Brian Haw during Saturday's demonstration, and his subsequent treatment while in the custody of police," Green MEP Caroline Lucas said. "He is a passionate and peaceful campaigner, and a popular hero following his outstanding efforts to publicly oppose the Iraq war."
According to other protesters arrested along with Mr. Haw, the peace protester was once again badly assaulted before being strip searched and charged under the SOCPA.
"This incident provides yet more proof that police actions taken under the terms of SOCPA are putting a stranglehold on civil liberties and threatening the right to gather in peaceful protest," Lucas added. "It is a sad day for this country when the face of modern democracy is frightened and bloodied and peering out of a police van on a Saturday afternoon."
Mr. Haw came into international prominence when he won the Channel 4 Political Personality of the Year Award 2007 by popular vote.
It is estimated that the British authorities have spent almost half a million pounds (million US dollars) trying to evict Mr. Haw from Parliamentary Square, where he has been since 2nd June 2001.
While the government has succeeded in severely restricting Mr. Haw's rights to protest by passing laws specifically aimed at thwarting him, courts have ruled that these pieces of legislation cannot be invoked retroactively, and allowed Mr. Haw to continue to protest.
Lucas called on the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who promised to look into the SOCPA, to stop these forms of police brutality immediately and prevent any further human rights abuses before the deadline for consultation ends on January 17th.
(A three-minute video of the incident can be seen here.)
Comments
Poor Mr Haw
I thought this kind of stuff only happened in the United States.
I always thought Great Britain more civilized than that.
Guess I was wrong.
GB & Brutality
Ya I'm sure that Northern Ireland felt that this was the first instance of police/government brutality as well....Maybe we should bring up the treatment of the colonial citizens of GB from Hong Kong, India, Pakistan or even the United States of America... Great Britain would be best compared to a drunk stepfather having its way with the ethnic peoples the world over for the past 400 years...After beating the piss out of them it kindly bends them over for a real treat....God save the queen
Thought this kind of thing
Thought this kind of thing only happened in the US?!! Go read your history sweetheart, GB wrote the modern book on brutalizing the populace. Its only been in the recent few decades that it has taken a holier than thou approach to its former colonies. There's a real nice article on digg from the past few days about the forgotten atrocities in India and other Crown holdings -- you should read it. At least the U.S. maintains its empire through economic means and some bases here and there as opposed to confiscating entire regions as holdings of the state [India, Pakistan, etc., etc.]
Yeah, 750 military bases in
Yeah, 750 military bases in 103 countries.
Welcome to the Bush world
Next stop for Mr. Haw.... Gitmo.
Government and Police
I've said it once and I'll say it again.
Cops are Pigs
Mr. Haw
Police brutality like this can only occur with the tacit consent of the citizens.
This consent is the result of collective cowardice. (Ignoble fear in the face of danger or pain.)
The solution is an armed militia to protect the people from the police.
The unfortunately noisy Mr Haw
Many years ago, there was a big fuss during the miner's strike about policemen not having numbers on their uniforms. Having a number means police are accountable, and if Mr Haw was hurt by an officer, whether intentionally or not, that officer was identified clearly by Mr Haw whilst voicing his complaint.
It seems that the officers concerned were inexperienced and lacked discipline. Rather than taking note of Mr Haw's complaint, they attacked him. It seems that not only the original officer committed an assault, but the officer commanding the operation should be disciplined, or at least be in receipt of further training.
It is also unfortunate that Mr Haw should be assaulted in such a public place. It hardly enhances the reputation of our country when people are mugged by the police on camera.
Just think if Mr Haw had lead the country with misinformation into the war that he protested against, he would be in receipt of police protection as well as large sums of money for 'part-time' jobs. Mr Haw is definitely guilty of being too honest and not keeping quiet about it.
The unfortunately noisy Mr Haw
Many years ago, there was a big fuss during the miner's strike about policemen not having numbers on their uniforms. Having a number means police are accountable, and if Mr Haw was hurt by an officer, whether intentionally or not, that officer was identified clearly by Mr Haw whilst voicing his complaint.
It seems that the officers concerned were inexperienced and lacked discipline. Rather than taking note of Mr Haw's complaint, they attacked him. It seems that not only the original officer committed an assault, but the officer commanding the operation should be disciplined, or at least be in receipt of further training.
It is also unfortunate that Mr Haw should be assaulted in such a public place. It hardly enhances the reputation of our country when people are mugged by the police on camera.
Just think if Mr Haw had lead the country with misinformation into the war that he protested against, he would be in receipt of police protection as well as large sums of money for 'part-time' jobs. Mr Haw is definitely guilty of being too honest and not keeping quiet about it.
"Cowards!", is right!
Sometimes, it seems police officers behave no differently than the street gang members that they are deputized to protect ordinary citizens from! (- this instance appeared to be a peaceful civilian protest.) Only, they have a badge to protect their menacing activities. Civil responsibility? I think not!
All government employees should be on camera 24/7
because if they're not doing anything wrong, then why would they object?
oh c**p we just turned into Yanks!
oh dear god, another sad indictment that the UK is turning to s**t. What next, ID cards?
Earth to Spaceman
Get a clue...At least the Yanks can actually walk down the street without 30 cameras stuck up their a$$!
Woah, yanktard alert!
Then they promptly get tasered for looking at a cop the wrong way.
You have no idea mate and you actually live in that orwellian pussbucket. You fat ass yanks deserve nothing more less another Clinton in the White House!
Don't tase me bro!
Anonymous wrote: "I've said
Anonymous wrote:
"I've said it once and I'll say it again.
Cops are Pigs"
Come now Sir!
That comparison is being terribly unfair and slanderous to the Pigs.
I am not sure it matters
I am not sure it matters much whether you are in GB, US or some 3rd W country ruled by a schoolyard bully turned Generalisimo - those in power own the cops and courts and if Joe Average rocks the boat they rock his head. Yeah, this one took place in plain sight, but how many have taken place behind closed doors?
Gitmo? Gitsum!
Kind makes this poor guys argument for him, yes? Protest for peace and the man gives you a little personal taste of what you are vocal about being against.
I agree that this will only continue if the masses allow it. To quote a geat American orator who faced this type of "crowd control" often: "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but rather the silence of our friends."
Britain is Knackered
Seems like Britain is waking up to the harsh reality of Zionist rule, the Israeli Cops behave like this in Palestine. The British Police hit squads were trained by Israel. Brian Haw got away light, he could have taken 6 dum dum bullets to the head just like the Brazilian Menzies.
Shadowy characters buy their seats in the house of Lords. They consolidate the old boy network with green backs fed to the British pigeons. The Arch Enabler, Traitor Blair now has a luxury apartment in Jerusalem from which to conduct his business of pimping for the war criminal nation of Israel. whilst studiously ignoring the War Crimes.
I hear that Brown the Zionist Clown was heard assuring an audience of Jewish moneybags that funding for the teaching of holocaust studies would be increased and that in order to accomodate this bizzare scenario and fit it into the overall curriculum, Churchill has been removed from the teaching of British History.
From that old Zionist Bag Thatcher through to the present day, these despicable enablers have profited at the expense of the freedom of the man in the street. From election fraud to gratuitous Police violence, you have been warned as to what to expect and until the British take to the streets in force and reply to police violence with what they hand out, then its not going to change any time soon.
Peaceful protest has been tried and failed, to be arrested in the defense of freedom is not a crime it is ones civic duty.
http://www.bropass.com
Don't block me, bro
This is simply stupid
The case of Brian Haw, simply show us that there is a serious problem in this country!
and now
so what is Prime Minister Gordon Brown going to do now?
Come one guys, this can't continue...
Brian Haw
The case of Brian Haw is not only serious, but a pretty sad evidence that we need to change things ASAP
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