Parliament Square protest

Up to 100 demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square today to protest against a new law banning unauthorised demonstrations there.

It comes after five people were this week detained under the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Act, which outlaws demonstrations within a half-mile radius of parliament unless cleared by police.

Campaigning groups such as Friends of the Earth, the CND and the Stop the War coalition have all vowed to continue demonstrating against the new law.

Many of the demonstrators at today's protest carried peace banners and placards reading: "Protest by right not police permission."

Under the new law, unauthorised demonstrators can be arrested, fined £1,000 or removed from within the designated protest zone, which includes all of Whitehall and large parts of Westminster.

The new law was drafted to remove the four-year peace vigil anti-war activist Brian Haw has staged in Parliament Square. But the campaigner is now the only person in the country allowed to protest outside parliament without permission after he won a High Court battle to remain there.

Commenting on today's protest, Mr Haw said: "I'm the last of the Mohicans, I'm the last of the Great British."

"My fellow compatriots have been denied a voice. I'm outraged by this, I'm outraged that the police are busy chasing old ladies with peace signs down Whitehall when there are bombs going off in London."

    Tags:

Political news to your inbox

Fill in your details to receive Politics.co.uk's brand of informed, in-depth and independent coverage of Westminster to your inbox

Hot topics

Britain's great energy debate

How the power gets to Britain's homes in the next century remains a matter of deep controversy

As the next general election begins to loom over the horizon, the debate over Britain's future energy mix is starting to hot up - and nothing seems guaranteed.

The Heathrow third runway debate

Heathrow's third runway is just one of many options

There won't be a final decision on Britain's long-term aviation strategy until after the 2015 general election - but an aggressive national debate is already underway.

Opinion Former Events

BSIA: Information Destruction Exhibition & Conference 2013

Following the great success of the BSIA's Information Destruction Conference and Exhibition in May 2012, we are pleased to annouce that the event is returning again in June 2013. This one-day conference and exhibition is aimed at key decision makers in organisations that carry out the secure destruction of confidential material.