Police State!
Police have removed placards from peace activist Brian Haw at the scene of his five-year vigil outside Parliament.
Officers went to Parliament Square in the early hours of Tuesday to deal with alleged breaches of Mr Haw's demonstration conditions.
Mr Haw, 56, from Worcestershire, said he will fast in protest at the action.
Earlier this month Court of Appeal judges overturned a ruling that allowed him to carry out his protest, which he began in June 2001.
Mr Haw said: "It seems I am going to die in this place now because I'm going to be fasting and praying.
"They have left me with just one placard. All of my personal belongings have been taken and dumped in a container along with nearly all the displays.
"They have completely destroyed all the expressions of people who opposed the war in Iraq.
"What gives them the legal right to remove 40 metres of evidence of genocide and reduce it to just three metres?"
Police overpowered two supporters who had climbed on top of a metal container at the side of the square to blow whistles and wave a banner declaring 'Freedom of expression over political repression'.
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said officers removed the placards at 0235 BST over claims that Mr Haw had continually breached conditions of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
She said: "This action follows a number of requests to the applicant to adhere to the conditions, which he has failed to comply with."
The legislation bans unauthorised protests within a 1km zone of Parliament Square and requires any permitted protests to cover no more than three metres.
It was brought in last year with the specific intent of forcing Mr Haw to abandon his post.
But so far, it is only placards that have been moved, not Mr Haw himself.
It is understood that any decision on eviction may be decided at Bow Street Magistrates' Court next Tuesday when he will face allegations that he breached protest conditions.
In the meantime, Mr Haw plans to petition the Law Lords directly in an attempt to take his case further.
Mr Haw has slept in Parliament Square among a large display of anti-war banners, placards and flags, many presented to him by well-wishers.
But such a permanent fixture proved an irritant to his neighbours in the House of Commons.
Officers went to Parliament Square in the early hours of Tuesday to deal with alleged breaches of Mr Haw's demonstration conditions.
Mr Haw, 56, from Worcestershire, said he will fast in protest at the action.
Earlier this month Court of Appeal judges overturned a ruling that allowed him to carry out his protest, which he began in June 2001.
Mr Haw said: "It seems I am going to die in this place now because I'm going to be fasting and praying.
"They have left me with just one placard. All of my personal belongings have been taken and dumped in a container along with nearly all the displays.
"They have completely destroyed all the expressions of people who opposed the war in Iraq.
"What gives them the legal right to remove 40 metres of evidence of genocide and reduce it to just three metres?"
Police overpowered two supporters who had climbed on top of a metal container at the side of the square to blow whistles and wave a banner declaring 'Freedom of expression over political repression'.
A Metropolitan Police spokeswoman said officers removed the placards at 0235 BST over claims that Mr Haw had continually breached conditions of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
She said: "This action follows a number of requests to the applicant to adhere to the conditions, which he has failed to comply with."
The legislation bans unauthorised protests within a 1km zone of Parliament Square and requires any permitted protests to cover no more than three metres.
It was brought in last year with the specific intent of forcing Mr Haw to abandon his post.
But so far, it is only placards that have been moved, not Mr Haw himself.
It is understood that any decision on eviction may be decided at Bow Street Magistrates' Court next Tuesday when he will face allegations that he breached protest conditions.
In the meantime, Mr Haw plans to petition the Law Lords directly in an attempt to take his case further.
Mr Haw has slept in Parliament Square among a large display of anti-war banners, placards and flags, many presented to him by well-wishers.
But such a permanent fixture proved an irritant to his neighbours in the House of Commons.
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