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PRESS RELEASE
Monday 29 October 2007

PARLIAMENT SQUARE PEACE PROTESTOR TAKES METROPOLITAN
COMMISSIONER TO COURT

Monday 29 October, Southwark Crown Court, 11am.

The case of Brian Haw versus Sir Ian Blair, Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police will be heard at Southwark Crown Court today.

The case concerns the removal of Mr Haw's display of banners and placards in May 2006.

The summons was against the Metropolitan Commissioner was originally issued by District Judge Workman on 27 June. He also issued summonses against the Chief Superintendents at Charing Cross and Hendon police stations for "receiving stolen goods", including artworks by Bansky valued at tens of thousands of pounds.

Mr Haw will argue that the police had no authority for removing the display, that it was an "illegal seizure" and as such, the display must be returned to him in Parliament Square.

Mr Haw has been protesting for peace and justice opposite Parliament since June 2001. Last year, shortly after the Court of Appeal ruled that new restrictions on unauthorised protest near Parliament under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (SOCPA) did apply to Mr Haw, his display was dismantled and removed in the middle of the night on 23 May 2006. Most of it was put into a container and taken away by the police and Mr Haw was left with only a few items and only allowed to occupy a 3 metre long space.

In January this year, District Judge Purdey ruled that Brian Haw had no case to answer against a charge that he had failed to comply with conditions that the police had imposed on his protest under SOCPA as the conditions were unreasonable and the power to create them should not have been delegated down from the Metropolitan Commissioner. (A)

Despite questions over the legality of the raid, controversy about the police's approach to it and many questions since as to the cost of it, the police still have not returned Mr Haw's property. It was later revealed that the massive police operation cost £111,000 - four times the figure originally estimated. (B)

CONTACTS AND INFORMATION
The case will be heard at: Southwark Crown Court, 1 English Grounds (off Battlebridge Lane), Southwark, London SE1 2HU

For more information phone 07791 486484.
More information on Mr Haw's protest is available on:
www.parliament-square.org.uk.

NOTES
A. Parliament protester's legal win, 22 January 2007
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/6287091.stm

B. £111,000 bill for crackdown on peace protest, 14 July 2007
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1098162007