A statue of Nelson Mandela was unveiled in Parliament Square today.

It’s wonderful to see this great man honoured, but it’s a bit ironic that the statue has been placed where the free-speech-crushing SOCPA (Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005) aims to prevent Brian Haw and other peaceful protesters from exercising their civil rights.

Comedian Mark Thomas, writer of the excellent As Used on the Famous Nelson Mandela book about the British arms trade, writes that Gordon Brown will scrap SOCPA.

The statue is beautiful, but scrapping SOCPA and closing loopholes in arms trade legislation would also be fitting tributes to this man’s lifetime of work.

Related posts:

1. See your freedom erode…
2. Stand alone, with some other people
3. Walking.
4. Another fab London attraction
5. The famous London black cab is coming to a city near you