18th August 2008

MP helps police defeat Parliament protester

Barbara Tucker, a Parliament Square protester, has been found guilty of harassment after haranguing MPs and police outside the Palace of Westminster. In a case brought by the CPS, Alan Duncan MP agreed to be a witness after being shouted at by Mrs Tucker when he left Parliament on the evening of February the 26th.

Upon leaving Parliament that evening, Mr Duncan was subjected to a torrent of foul-mouthed abuse, including being called a ‘murderer, terrorist, child murderer, bomber, disgusting, horrible and totally corrupt’. Mrs Tucker conducted this through a loud hailer and even crossed the road to get closer to Mr Duncan whilst he waited for a taxi.

Mr Duncan asserted, and it was not challenged, that this was one of a number of occasions when he was the subject of similar remarks directed at him personally. It was also clear that similar words were also directed at the police.

In the course of her trial, Mrs Tucker extended her attack to include the court, which she characterised as akin to or a form of Star Chamber, and to Parliament, which she accused of using the court as an instrument of oppression. She asserted that the sole purpose of the prosecution is to prevent her from campaigning against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The case now puts pressure on the Leader of the House, Harriet Harman, to decide whether or not to move the protesters on permanently and prevent any further incidents of harassment towards the police or MPs.

Commenting, Alan Duncan said:

‘The whole encampment has become a vulgar and pointless display which is utterly demeaning for the Westminster Parliament.

‘It is nothing to do with freedom of speech or the right to protest. It no longer has any justifiable democratic purpose. It is time to stop it.’

To read Ben Brogan’s blog on this click here - http://broganblog.dailymail.co.uk/2008/08/in-praise-of-al.html