Anti-war protester scales scaffolding at UK parliament

By IRNA,

London : A lone demonstrator scaled scaffolding at the British parliament Thursday in a protest against the cost of the nine year-old war in Afghanistan.


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The protester is believed to be from ‘Democracy Village,’ which has been encamped outside the House of Commons in Parliament Square since May 1 and has pledged to stay until British troops are withdrawn from Afghanistan.

He unfurled a banner stating: “Questions for our government – what power have you got? Where did you get it from? In who’s interest do you exercise it? To who are you accountable? How do we get rid of you?”

Three protesters from ‘Democracy Village’ made mockery of British security last week, when they scaled the scaffolding erected to carrying out renovations.

The growing number of tents and flags on Parliament Square has led Mayor of London Boris Johnson to take legal action to remove the peace protesters.

They include anti-war protester Brian Haw, who has been encamped outside parliament in a solitary anti-war vigil since 2001 but who has previously won legal battles to be allowed to continue his demonstration.

“Parliament Square is a world heritage site and top tourist attraction that is visited by thousands of people and broadcast around the world each day,” a spokesman for the mayor said.

“The mayor respects the right to demonstrate, however the scale and impact of the protest is now doing considerable damage to the square and preventing its peaceful use by other Londoners, including those who may wish to have an authorised protest,” he said.

Democracy Village was set up as “a group of concerned citizens who have gathered on Parliament Square to let the world know that we are deeply troubled by the way our taxes and resources are wasted on illegal and inhuman wars.”

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