British Members of Parliament on both sides of the aisle in the House of Commons have joined in condemning the pro-LTTE Tamil demonstrators who many agree have hijacked Parliament Square and are obstructing free access by MPs to Parliament.

They have called on the Metropolitan Police to take more firm action against these demonstrators who are violating the conditions on which they are permitted to carry out a demonstration in Central London.

The Speaker of the House of Commons, Michael Martin, the custodian of the rights of all MPs, has charged that the pro-LTTE demonstration, May 11, hijacked the British parliament obstructing the duties of elected members.

The Commons discussion and widespread condemnation of the pro-LTTE demonstrators took place following a Point of Order raised by Mr. Gerald Howarth MP for Aldershot, and Shadow Minister of Defence.

Referring to the filthy and unsanitary conditions at Parliament Square, a showpiece of Central London and a major tourist attraction, caused by the demonstrators, Speaker Michael Martin said Speaker said, “to hijack an important part of this city—with hunger strikers, tents and food stalls, but no toilet facilities—is not the proper way to conduct a demonstration.”

Charging the LTTE demonstration violated the democratic rights of the others the Speaker said, “Many of us were involved in demonstrations before we came into the House, because demonstrating is part of a democracy, but we would have those demonstrations and then leave. No one has ever expected a demonstration to hijack Parliament Square and the roads, and thereby stop others performing their democratic duties.”

Many members of the House of Commons expressed outrage at the Tamil Tiger demonstration that has turned into an often violent mob. Sir Patrick Cormack, Conservative (South Staffordshire) member suggested stricter methods against the demonstrators. He said, “Further to that point of order, Mr. Speaker. When you have your discussions later this week, will you please discuss with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner the advisability of bringing in an implement that would be used in virtually every other capital city—the water cannon?” But the Speaker turned down the suggestion by telling, “We have enough problems without water cannons; we do not need water cannons.”

The Speaker did not agree with a statement by Simon Hughes (Liberal Democratic) member for Southwark and Bermondsey that the demonstration was lawful, as permission had been applied for it for the last four weeks and that the demonstration will be able to continue lawfully for some weeks to come.

Speaker Martin responding said: “I know that I might be in a bit of a bad mood today, but let me say that when authorization is given for 50 people to demonstrate, it means 50 people. It does not mean tents or food stalls, or texts being sent to supporters to tell them to bring little children along. That is not part of the authorization of the demonstration. As a former trade union officer, I know that when somebody co-operates with the authorities to obtain permission for a demonstration, they comply with the rules that they lay down. No one can say that that happened in this case.”

Most of the members of the Commons were with Speaker and the mover of the Point of Order in complaining. The Conservative Party Member for Macclesfield, Sir Nicholas Winterton said, “Mr. Speaker. May I seek your advice, because I was personally involved in Parliament Square this morning? I was coming in by car and I was almost at Chancellor’s Gate when the Tamil demonstrators burst out of Parliament Square and occupied the road. I was delayed in attending a meeting in the House. Indeed, I was held up for an hour and 10 minutes, until the police were able to sort out the traffic. Is it not the case that Members of Parliament and those associated with the House should have unimpeded access, and the police and the authorities should seek to guarantee that?”

Some Members of Parliament, traditionally supportive of the LTTE and such Labour Party Member Jeremy Corbyn (Islington North) and Simon Hughes of the Liberal Democratic Party spoke in sympathy of the demonstrators.

In raising the Point of Order that led to the discussion and condemnation of the demonstrators Mr. Gerald Howarth MP for Aldershot said, “Yet again, our capital city has been brought to a standstill by a bunch of demonstrators who have, in effect, occupied Parliament Square for about six weeks. I have raised the matter with you before. Although it is true that Members have had access, albeit not to the main entrance of the House—we have had restricted access—there are nevertheless hundreds of thousands of people out there going about their business, who have had their business lives and their personal lives disrupted by the demonstration, at enormous cost to them and their businesses, as well as inconvenience. I know that the Metropolitan Police Commissioner has had added to his list of things to do that which you asked him over the weekend to do, but I have raised the matter with you before. It is surely unacceptable that these people should be allowed to take over Parliament Square and disrupt the entire centre of our capital city. I wonder what on earth the Metropolitan Police Commissioner is doing about it, bearing in mind that every police officer to whom I have spoken has made it clear to me that it is his view that the Commissioner will take no action, because after the G20 they are completely frightened of doing anything for fear of ending up in court themselves.”

The demonstrators parked at Parliament Square have on several occasions left there to attack the embassies of countries that they consider to be supportive of Sri Lanka in the current battle to end the terrorism of the LTTE that is fast facing military defeat.

That have proceeded from Parliament Square to attack the High Commission of India twice, and attacked the embassies of China and Vietnam, all countries tat have taken a firm position against terrorism and the need to eradicate it in Sri Lanka and elsewhere. The Sri Lanka High Commission has also come under attack from the same mobs. These violent mobs return to Parliament Square after the attacks. Only a few attackers have been arrested by the Police.