Police remove 'litter' of Brian Haw's peace camp

Cleared: police today dismantled the peace camp in Parliament Square where the late Brian Haw, above right, spent 10 years

Police today dismantled the late Brian Haw's 10-year-old peace demonstration camp after claiming it is "litter".

About 20 police officers removed Mr Haw's tent and multi-coloured display of anti-war placards from Parliament Square.

The also took down a tent belonging to his close friend and fellow protester Barbara Tucker, 49, who is serving a nine-week prison sentence for a variety of offences.

Demonstrators at the site today described the 7am police operation as a "disgrace" and said they were keeping Mr Haw's camp as a memorial to the veteran campaigner. Mr Haw died in June from lung cancer.

The 62-year-old father of seven set up camp opposite the Houses of Parliament more than 10 years ago in protest against the war in Iraq and fought a lengthy battle with the authorities to keep the camp in place.

After his death fellow protesters had said they would leave his tent on the square and a number of MPs and campaigners have called for a permanent memorial in his honour. Police sources today said they had the power to remove the tents because they are unoccupied and therefore considered to be litter.

Protester Ron Cooper, 66, said: "I heard the police this morning. Everybody got up. We wanted to know what was going on. They cleared the lot out within 10 minutes and threw it in the back of a police car. It was over pretty quickly.

"We are angry, it stood as a memorial to him and he was here for 10 years. They took Barbara's things as well. I guess we'll be next."

Iam Dos Santos said: "I saw the police arrive, I saw them dismantling stuff. I realised what they were doing and woke everyone up. They said they had an eviction notice. It's disgraceful."

Mr Dos Santos described the space where Mr Haw and Ms Tucker's tents used to be as "a gaping wound" and said taking her possessions while she is still in prison was "completely wrong".

Westminster council is waiting for a date from the High Court where it will claim that the protest camp, which is thought to still number about 30 people, is obstructing the highway.

A Met police spokesman said the tents and belongings would be returned to family members.

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