- Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Peace activists pitch tents in Parliament Square
- Date: 20th May 2010
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UK (MAY 19, 2010) (REUTERS) PAN FROM HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TO "DEMOCRACY VILLAGE" PEACE ACTIVISTS SITTING IN CIRCLE IN PARLIAMENT SQUARE CLOSE UP OF MAN WEARING NEON VEST, WITH THE HAND-WRITTEN WORDS "PEOPLES ASSEMBLY" ON THE BACK WIDE OF GROUP HOLDING FORUM MAN RAISES HAND TO ASK A QUESTION ANOTHER MAN TALKING WOMAN TALKING PAN FROM DEMOCRACY VILLAGE TO SIGN READING "WELCOME TO THE VILLAGE" (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMOCRACY VILLAGE SPOKESMAN, PHOENIX, SAYING: "Democracy Village is an ongoing, evolving discussion forum about the future. It's a place where everyone is welcome to come and talk and discuss what they want to see in politics, the environment. The main issue basically is peace, that everyone agrees on is peace and troops out of Afghanistan. But there is a whole umbrella alliance of lots of different groups and campaigns that come here talking about peace, justice and freedom, electoral reform, a whole range of different issues." PAN ALONG HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT TO BIG BEN, WITH ACTIVISTS SITTING IN PARLIAMENT SQUARE CLOSE UP OF BIG BEN AS 11 O'CLOCK STRIKES FLAGS WAVING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT SPIRES SIGN READING "ON STRIKE FOR PEACE" SIGN READING "BE THE CHANGE YOU WISH TO SEE" SIGN READING "END THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN, BRING OUR TROOPS HOME" (SOUNDBITE) (English) PEACE ACTIVIST, DAN BOUGHTON, SAYING: "We decided to come down here because we think enough is enough. This war has been going on about seven years now. It's an absolute disgrace, you have got innocent people dying on both sides. More people need to come together to show they are not happy about it. Have one voice. There's a new government in play now, if a lot of people come together and show that there is one voice telling the government that people are not happy. There has to be something to show the government, in a peaceful way, that people are not happy with what is going on." LARGE BANNER READING "SOLDIERS COME HOME ALIVE" SIGN READING "PEACE NEEDS YOU" PLACARD READING "I WANT MY VOTE TO COUNT: TAKE BACK PARLIAMENT" (SOUNDBITE) (English) PEACE ACTIVIST, CHARLOTTE TURNER, SAYING: "I don't really have a lot of faith in parliament anymore. After all, 77 percent of people want the troops out of Afghanistan and the main three parties are sending more troops to Afghanistan so I think we need to separate ourselves off from that democracy and start realising that maybe we need to do it ourselves." PEACE FLAGS FLYING AS GROUP SITS IN CIRCLE HOLDING FORUM PHOENIX TALKING TO GROUP ABOUT HOW LONG THEY CAN TRY AND STAY BEFORE POLICE TRY AND MOVE THEM PAN FROM SIGN READING "LIFE'S JUST A RIDE" TO GROUP IN FORUM PAN ALONG TENTS PITCHED ON PARLIAMENT SQUARE (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMOCRACY VILLAGE SPOKESMAN, PHOENIX, SAYING: "We've really got to take a step back and start building bridges and create a more peaceful future. We'd like to invite groups from all over the world to come here and discuss peace in this heart of democracy here."
- Embargoed: 4th June 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: United Kingdom
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA5JM2N6423DDPC0LVUHJRRN362
- Story Text: A growing group of peace activists pitch tents in Westminster's Parliament Square to protest the war in Afghanistan and climate change. The police have been asked to dismantle the "Democracy Village" ahead of the Queen's speech to parliament next Tuesday, but the activists say ancient British lore allows them to be there.
Around 30 small tents and one large marquee have sprung up in the heart of London's Westminster.
Peace activists have taken over Parliament Square, opposite the Houses of Parliament.
They've pitched up tents, planted a tree, flowers and vegetables and festooned the grassy square with colourful peace banners and protest placards.
Unofficial spokesman for the so-called Democracy Village is a man who goes by the name of Phoenix.
"Democracy Village is an ongoing, evolving discussion forum about the future. It's a place where everyone is welcome to come and talk and discuss what they want to see in politics, the environment," he told Reuters.
Each day the group sits in a circle to discuss their concerns. Their primary point of protest is the war in Afghanistan and they're demanding the new British government bring troops home.
23-year-old Dan Boughton has never taken part in any activist movement before, but found himself drawn to the Democracy Village. He and his brother decided to pitch up their own tent with the growing band of other activists.
"This war has been going on about seven years now. It's an absolute disgrace, you have got innocent people dying on both sides. More people need to come together to show they are not happy about it," he said.
Charlotte Turner, a social worker student, takes care of the impromptu vegetable garden in the middle of the square. She said she's lost faith in parliament.
"After all, 77 percent of people want the troops out of Afghanistan and the main three parties are sending more troops to Afghanistan so I think we need to separate ourselves off from that democracy and start realising that maybe we need to do it ourselves," she said.
Authorities would like to see the Democracy Village residents evicted before the Queen visits parliament next Tuesday (May 25) to deliver her speech.
The Metropolitan police say it is a civil matter and that the activists are breaking no criminal laws.
Parliament Square comes under the jurisdiction of the Greater London Authority, who are looking at ways to move the protesters on.
The activists say they have a right to be there under ancient British lore and have employed a top London legal firm, which specialises in human rights, to advise them on how to peacefully maintain their presence in Parliament Square. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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