Peace campers driven off Parliament Square

Louise Nousratpour
Tuesday July 20, 2010

London's Parliament Square was sealed off on Tuesday after bailiffs stormed the site and forcibly evicted peace protesters who had camped there since May 1.

The protesters in the makeshift camp known as Democracy Village were removed in the early hours after losing a Court of Appeal battle last week to stay there.

However, veteran peace activist Brian Haw, who has been camped out since 2001 near the Houses of Parliament, was not affected by the eviction order sought by London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Court officials arrived at 1am to move campers on, with protesters claiming they were left "bruised but unperturbed" after a short-lived attempt to stop the bailiffs moving in.

Dozens of activists remained outside Parliament for most of Tuesday after temporary metal fencing was put up around the square.

Londoner Maria Gallastegui, who has camped outside Parliament for four years, said: "People were forcibly removed. There are certainly a few bruises."

Eywitness and Democracy Village activist Phoenix reported that the bailiffs had "kicked and punched people, including one protester who has been on hunger strike for 25 days. He was later treated in an ambulance."

He noted that the camp had received "considerable" backing from current and former servicemen expressing their support for immediate troop withdrawal from Afghanistan.

He added that the peace activists had walked in the footsteps of the Chartists and the Suffragettes who also occupied Parliament square and engaged in civil disobedience to achieve their demands.

"You have to break the law to change the law," he declared.

A message on the group's website on Tuesday encouraged supporters to join in "ongoing mass civil disobedience" around Parliament Square throughout the day.

Campaigners have also called a "people's assembly forum" to discuss future action. This will be held on Saturday between 1pm and 5pm at Victoria Tower Gardens public park next to Parliament.

Police confirmed that they had made no arrests during Tuesday's eviction. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said officers were "in a supporting role to High Court enforcement officers."

A spokeswoman for mayor claimed that the protest had caused "considerable damage" to the site, adding: "The square will now be closed temporarily, during which time the site will be restored."