FORUM: City Hall welcomes these campers...

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Published: 28 April, 2011
by SEAN O'HALLORAN

As the royal wedding looms, ruling politicians, including Westminster Council, want peace campaigners to make way for an Establishment-friendly group of campers 

1 AM on July 20 last year in Parliament Square. Since May, a group of activists concerned with a wide range of issues from electoral reform to an illegal war have been camped in the square. It’s a convergence space, it’s a symbol and it’s right under the noses of the Establishment that has failed and failed again to represent the views of those who were corralled into supporting it.

A court order has been issued following action by London Mayor Boris Johnson, and activists have been told to leave. On cue, bailiffs and police enter the square and begin to forcefully remove demonstrators. Such is the determination to stay that it takes almost two hours to clear the site of 50 activists. 

According to Colin Barrow, leader of Westminster Council, it was wrong for the square to be “hijacked by vociferous minorities” who had turned it into “a squalid campsite”. He was furthermore “relieved this dreadful blight of Parliament Square has finally come to an end” and looked forward to it being “restored to its previous condition so all Londoners can visit and enjoy it”. 

And in time for today’s (Friday) wedding, Johnson and Barrow have (unsuccessfully) attempted to evict long-standing peace campaigner Brian Haw.

Funny, then, how they have no problem with those who want to camp outside Westminster Abbey for a week to get a good view of Prince William and Kate Middleton getting hitched.

It is easy to see that there is a double standard being applied here. If you’re willing to pander to a ceremony of state power and the reinforcement of social division, then you can camp where you want.

If you’re here because you’ve got an issue with the way we’re running things, if you’re here because you’re not represented, not considered, and not counted – if you’re here to embarrass us in front of our chums – then we will crush you. 

What’s shocking, though, is that in effect the law is being used to facilitate the enforcement of the politics that the Establishment deems as good and right; to crush dissent and to distract from the issues that people should be rightfully angry about. If you don’t fit into the mould that they have carved out, you’ll find your life incredibly difficult. 

Clearly a village of tents covered in Union flags and pictures of William and his darling are not “unsightly” whereas, according to the established powers, tents covered in peace symbols and home truths are. 

Yet again, we can only protest where they say it’s OK. We can only change what they deem to be reasonable and then we will be expected to show gratitude and satisfaction – despite the fact that they are only our representatives and not our overlords.

What’s happening in Westminster is disgusting, but it’s only an example. It’s an example of how we’ve been manipulated by the system that we thought was supposed to be doing what is in our best interests. 

Unfortunately, this system only serves the best interests of an elite few, and I’ll bet my bottom dollar that they’re not the ones being endlessly screwed by the cuts. They’re almost certainly the ones profiting from them.

Tell you what, though, Democracy Village really pissed off those elite few.

• Sean O’Halloran is an activist, blogger and chairman of the charity Young Advisors. He writes this in a personal capacity