Brian Haw beaten and arrested

[Pupil]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7186606.stm

Peace protester injured in demo

Seven people were arrested, one of them anti-war campaigner Brian Haw, during a demonstration outside Downing Street.



Mr Haw, who has been encamped in Parliament Square since June 2001, was filming the protest when arrested.

He accused police of using "violent and humiliating force" but said he would not be making a complaint.

A police spokesman said 100 people took part in the march against the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act (Socpa), which limits protests near Parliament.

Mr Haw, from Redditch, Worcestershire, said: "I was filming the students lying down in the road when one officer stepped forward, as I was walking back, and pushed the camera with his hand. It struck my face."

He said he was "dragged" by police into a police van, who pushed "my head close to the ground with my arms handcuffed high above my back".

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said they were forced to act because the march contravened the Socpa legislation.

"They did not seek authority from the Metropolitan Police Service for the demonstration," he said.

[Pupil]

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/01/389308.html

brian haw violently assaulted then arrested at downing street today

a number of people were milling around the road outside downing street where a group of around a dozen had laid down with linked arms in the road.

without warnings the territorial support group moved in and began violently pushing and man-handling people to the pavement. one young woman was grabbed round the throat and dragged. others were pushed from behind. brian was miving backwards towards the pavement with a camera to his face when officer U1019 lunged at him deliberately and without provocation. the blow was aimed directly at brian's face and pushed his camera into his cheek causing a deep wound.

shortly afterwards, brian was snatched from the crowd and taken to a police van, from which witnesses heard him screaming. after several minutes he was dragged out of the van looking very alarmed and frightened, and taken to another cell van where he was driven to belgravia police station.

supporters there are worried for his safety, but after an hour of no news, they were told that he was being taken to see the prison doctor. there are concerns about his treatment during that hour.

steve jago, on seeing the snatch, pushed forward to try to help brian, but was immediately pounced on by four heavy tsg thugs who violently dragged him to the ground, sat on him, and aggressively hand-cuffed him before apprently arresting him for an unknown offence.

in an afternoon of filming, at no time did i see a single act of violence towards the police from the peaceful protestors, and yet police used completely disproportionate and aggressive tactics to disperse and control peaceful sit-downs and blockades. i saw a 61 year old woman being dragged wihout any heed for 'health and safety' and dumped on the pavement. another elderly man was thrown over his bicycle (despite having recently had an accident leaving him in considerable pain)

there were several other arrests this afternoon, mainly for obstruction and public order offences. one person was arrested for 'organising an unauthorised protest'

attached photo was taken by nuj journalist terence bunch and remains his copyright although he has kindly allowed publication here - for any commercial usgae please contact him via
www.terencebunch.co.uk

i'll be editing a short film of this afternoon soon
rikki

[darsie]

This is a shocking indictment of UK2008. What a horrible - nasty - repressed - and totalitarian country it has become!

Pavements in Whitehall are a mile wide. These protesters weren't a nuisance to anyone.

Just another example of this 'locked-down' state exerting it's facist authority over ordinary - caring - and decent citizens.

The TSG are true scum.