Death of Brian Haw, scourge of Westminster

“Peace at last,” headlines the Independent, following the death of peace activist Brian Haw, whose anti-war placards on the pavement at Parliament Square became a London landmark. Haw, who died aged 62 of lung cancer, “first took up residence in Parliament Square three months before 9/11 to call for the lifting of sanctions preventing delivery of medical supplies to Iraq,” the London daily notes. But the evangelical Christian came to nationwide prominence after the US/UK led invasion of Iraq in 2003: “Viewed by the authorities as an affront and an eyesore, his camp quickly became the target of ministers, Westminster Council and the Greater London Authority, and survived repeated eviction attempts. His resilience made him a hero in the eyes of many. In 2007, he was voted the Most Politically Inspiring Figure of the Year in the Channel 4 Political Awards.”