Speakers' Corner

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For the Canadian television series, see Speakers' Corner (TV series).
A Socialist Party of Great Britain member arguing against capitalism, October 31, 2004

A Speakers' Corner is an area where public speaking is allowed. The original and most noted is in the north-east corner of Hyde Park in London, England. Speakers there are allowed to speak as long as the police consider their speeches lawful. Contrary to popular belief, there is no immunity from the law, nor are any subjects proscribed, but in practice the police tend to be tolerant [1] and therefore only intervene when they receive a complaint or if they hear profanity.

Historically there were a number of other areas designated as Speakers' Corners in other parks in London, (eg. Finsbury Park, Clapham Common, Kennington Park and Victoria Park) as well as other countries.

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[edit] Hyde Park Speakers' Corner

Danny Shine arguing against the absurdity of society
One World Speaker supporting a World Federal Government
Speaker's Corner on a busy Sunday

Though Hyde Park Speakers' Corner is considered the paved area closest to Marble Arch, legally it extends as far as the Reform Tree and covers a large area of the adjacent parade ground.

Public riots broke out in the park in 1855 in protest over the Sunday Trading Bill which forbade buying and selling on a Sunday, the only day working people had off. The riots were described by Karl Marx as the beginning of the English revolution.

The Chartist movement used Hyde Park as a point of assembly for workers' protests but no permanent speaking location was established. The Reform League organised a massive demonstration in 1866 and then again in 1867 which compelled the government to extend the franchise to include most working class men.

The riots and agitation for democratic reform encouraged some to force issue of the "right to speak" in Hyde Park. The Parks Regulation Act 1872 delegated the issue of permitting public meetings to the park authorities (rather than central government). Contrary to popular belief[citation needed] it does not confer a statutory basis for the right to speak at Speakers' Corner. Parliamentary debates on the act illustrate that a general principle of being able to meet and speak was not the intention, but that some areas would be permitted to be used for that purpose.

Since that time it has become a traditional site for public speeches and debate as well as the main site of protest and assembly in Britain. There are some who contend that the tradition has a connection with the Tyburn hanging gallows where the condemned man was allowed to speak.

Although many of its regular speakers are non-mainstream, Speakers' Corner was frequented by Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, George Orwell, C.L.R. James, Ben Tillett, Marcus Garvey, Kwame Nkrumah and William Morris. Its existence is frequently upheld as a demonstration of free speech, as anyone can turn up unannounced and talk on almost any subject, though they are likely to be heckled by regulars. Lord Justice Sedley, in his decision regarding Redmond-Bate v Director of Public Prosecutions (1999), described Speakers' Corner as demonstrating "the tolerance which is both extended by the law to opinion of every kind and expected by the law in the conduct of those who disagree, even strongly, with what they hear." The ruling famously established in English case law that freedom of speech could not be limited to the inoffensive but extended also to "the irritating, the contentious, the eccentric, the heretical, the unwelcome, and the provocative, as long as such speech did not tend to provoke violence", and that the right to free speech accorded by Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights also accorded the right to be offensive.

In the late 19th century, for instance, a combination of park by-laws, use of the Highways Acts and use of venue licensing powers of the London County Council made it one of the few places where socialist speakers could meet and debate.


During the Eighties the Hecklers came to fame lead by an American Brian Beckett and a left of Center Michael Woolly

In 2003 the park authorities tried to ban a demonstration set for February 15 to stop the War in Iraq. This caused uproar and forced a climb-down.[2]

American comedian Bill Maher visited the Speaker's Corner during the filming of his documentary Religulous. There he followed a man dressed in typical vagrant's garb who was attempting to convert his audience to Scientology. The segment claims to demonstrate what Maher sees as the hypocrisy of Christians laughing at such belief systems given the way their own might seem to an outsider.

[edit] Notable Speakers

The following organisations and individuals have a well-established history of speaking regularly at Speakers' Corner.

[edit] Nottingham's Speakers' Corner

Nottingham has the first new Speakers' Corner in the UK outside of London. It was officially inaugurated by Jack Straw, the UK Justice Secretary on February 22, 2009.

The designated space occupies a new landscaped extension to the North East of the Old Market Square, at the junction of King Street and Queen Street. The large paved space includes the new statue of Brian Clough, the legendary, straight-talking former manager of Nottingham Forest FC and Derby County FC, who forged ties between the two cities famous for local rivalry.

Nottingham's Speakers' Corner is the pilot project of the Speakers' Corner Trust. The Trust is a new charity, established in 2007, which seeks to provide a stimulus to civil society both in the UK and in emerging democracies overseas by creating new opportunities for citizens to exchange ideas and opinions in open, face-to-face debate. With the success of Nottingham's speakers' corner they are now planning for similar projects in Lichfield and Prague. [3]

[edit] Worthing Speakers' Corner

The Sussex coastal town of Worthing has had its own Speakers' Corner at Splash Point on the town's seafront since the Victorian era. A sign today marks the "stand for delivering sermons and public speeches", while another sign close by marks the site by the old Fish Market where the Salvation Army has preached the Gospel since 1886. The Speakers' Corner fell into disuse in the late 20th century but it is hoped that the site will be rejuvenated. As part of the Government's Sea Change programme, being run by the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment, the area will benefit from a £500,000 grant to re-landscape the area around Splash Point and see a revival of the Speakers' Corner.[4]

[edit] Other countries

[edit] Australia

There is a Speakers' Corner in the Domain in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia established in 1878. Official outdoor 'free' speech first appeared in the hustings and hanging grounds of Hyde Park Sydney in 1874. Free speech in this form was banned following a serious riot between Catholics and Orangemen. However following the formalisation of free speech in Speakers' Corner in London it was decided in 1878 that The Domain would be the place for free speech in Sydney. Other Speakers' Corners are found in King George Square and The Powerhouse in Brisbane, Australia. In Melbourne, Speakers Corner was originally held in Birrarung Marr where the original site is still visible. This site has lost some popularity over the years and Speakers Corner (Now called "Speakers Forum") is currently held outside the State Library of Victoria on Sunday afternoon from 3pm.

[edit] Canada

Speakers' Corner in Regina, Saskatchewan

Dedicated by the Earl Mountbatten on April 12, 1966, Speakers' Corner in Regina, Saskatchewan is located on the north shore of Wascana Lake. It serves as a constant reminder of the notion of free speech and assembly and a tribute to Saskatchewan people who have upheld that heritage. The two lanterns framing the south entrance to the main plaza formed part of the Cumberland Screen at the entrance to Speakers' Corner in London. The podia on the main plaza are from the exterior columns of the Old City Hall (1908-1965) and symbolize free speech in democracy at the municipal level of government. Six paper birch trees were taken from Runnymede Meadow in Windsor Great Park, near Windsor Castle. It was there that King John signed the Magna Carta on June 15, 1215. The ten gas lamps surrounding the corner come from King Charles Street which runs from Whitehall to St. James Park, London, near the Houses of Parliament. They were erected in 1908 during the reign of Edward VII, whose royal cypher E.R. VII appears on the base of each lamp.

Kitchener, Ontario has a small area designated as Speakers' Corner on the northwest corner of King and Frederick Streets. It existed already since the mid 1980s.

A modern version of the concept was developed by local Toronto television station CITY-TV, utilizing booths stationed outside the studios of it and other CHUM Limited television stations where members of the public could record short clips of themselves speaking or performing, with the possibility of being featured on a weekly television series consisting of these clips. The show was canceled in 2008 by their new owners Rogers Media, citing the growth of other forms of interactive media.[5]

[edit] Netherlands

In the Netherlands, there is a permanently designated speakers' corner called the Spreeksteen in Amsterdam. Lawfully, every person has the freedom of speech as a matter of right. In practice, there is considerable ambiguity which gives mayors and other authorities the semi-lawful powers to prevent or distort free speech. The 'Spreeksteen' is open for free speech 24-hours a day, and was established to allow complete free speech. The 'Spreeksteen' has been located in the Oosterpark in Amsterdam since May 5, 2005, and has been erected by a citizens action after the brutal murder of film-maker and columnist Theo van Gogh. Plans for bringing the Amsterdam Speakers' Corner online with a permanent camera and microphone are in a phase of installation. In the meantime the speakers are filmed with a hand-held camera.[6]

The Spreeksteen was involved in controversy when they allowed Michiel Smit, a rightist, to speak on October 1, 2006. Antifascists used noise to prevent Smit from being heard (as is the longstanding tradition in the Netherlands when right wing people speak in public). René Danen, a former council member, threatened the Spreeksteen foundation with criminal prosecution if they let Smit speak again. Smit was scheduled to speak at the Spreeksteen again on November 5, 2006.

[edit] Singapore

Main article: Speakers' Corner, Singapore
An empty Speakers' Corner in Singapore.

The Speakers' Corner in Singapore was opened on 1 September 2000 to allow Singapore citizens to speak freely. They are exempted from the need to obtain a police permit so long as they meet the terms and conditions of use.

The Speakers' Corner is located in Hong Lim Park, a popular venue for many election rallies and political speeches in the 50s and 60s. Hong Lim Park is centrally located, well-served by public transport and is sited in a high public density area.

In 2004, public exhibitions and performances were added to the list of exempted activities at the Speakers' Corner.

From 1 September 2008, Singapore citizens can also organise or participate in demonstrations at Speakers' Corner without having to obtain a police permit. With this latest change in policy to allow the venue to be used freely as an outdoor demonstration site, coupled with the liberalisation on the use of sound amplification and the extension of operating hours of the venue, the Speakers' Corner aims to address the genuine desire by some Singaporeans for lawful outdoor demonstrations and processions as a means of political expression.

Singapore citizens who wish to hold a speech, exhibition/performance or demonstration at the Speakers' Corner can register with the National Parks Board, which manages Hong Lim Park. Online registration is available at http://www.nparks.gov.sg. Terms and conditions are also stipulated on the website.

[edit] Trinidad and Tobago

Woodford Square in Port of Spain, Trinidad, is also known as "The University of Woodford Square", so named by the first prime minister of Trinidad Eric Williams who gave many speeches here. Another nickname, "People's Parliament," comes from the Black Power movement of the 1970s. Flanked by Trinidad's Parliament and Halls of Justice the Square still plays host to speeches of a highly topical and political nature.

In the southeast corner of the square, a blackboard lists the day's discussion as well as other important information. The speakers' topics are divided by interest and known as "classes".

[edit] Thailand

An area was set up in Bangkok in the 1930s, and quickly became known as Hyde Park, to enable freedom of speech and the airing of political views in Thailand. The area was shut down after student rioting and the lethal intervention of the army and it is not discussed openly today.[citation needed]

In 1955, Marshal Plaek Pibulsonggram had visited the London as part of an international tour. He became impressed with the 'Speakers' Corner' in Hyde Park. Upon his return to Thailand a 'Hyde Park' space for free speech and assembly was instituted at the Phramane Grounds in Bangkok. The experiment was well received and effectively stimulated political debate. The experiment was not appreciated by the government though, and in February 1956 restrictions were imposed on the Phramane 'Hyde Park'. However, during this period the Hyde Park Movement Party had evolved, upholding the legacy of the Hyde Park experiment.[7][8]

[edit] Books and articles

  • A Summer in the Park - A Journal of Speakers' Corner (2004) by Tony Allen, foreword by Ken Campbell
  • The Speakers (1964) by Heathcote Williams
  • Hyde Park Orator. Autobiographical reminiscences (1933) by Bonar Thompson. With a portrait. Foreword by Sean O’Casey
  • Bonar Thompson, the Old Days of Carnearney: An Examination of the Life and Times of Bonar Thompson, the Hyde Park Orator (1991)by R.H. Foy
  • Around the Marble Arch. Wit and Humour of the Hyde Park Orators (1939) by F W Batchelor
  • The history of soapbox oratory. Part one: prominent speakers of the Sydney Domain (1994) by Stephen Maxwell
  • Speakers' Corner: The Conceptualisation and Regulation of a Public Sphere (2000) by J M Roberts. Dissertation, University of Cardiff.
  • Roberts, John Michael. 2008. 'Expressive free speech, the state and the public sphere: a Bakhtinian-Deleuzian analysis of “public address” at Hyde Park’. Social Movement Studies: Journal of Social, Cultural and Political Protest. 7:2 (September 2008), pp. 101-119.
  • From where I stand (1987) by Roy Sawh
  • A Saint in Hyde Park: Memories of Father Vincent McNabb, O. P. (1950) by Edward A Siderman
  • Wer andern eine Rede hält - Speakers Corner London (1981) by K H Wocker, photographs by J D Schmidt
  • Answering back. Donald Soper answers your questions (1953) by Donald Soper
  • The Domain Speaker. Humour, Politics, Satire, Revolution, Human Rights, Historical, Pictorial, Vicious Wit (1981) by Victor Zammit
  • Stilled Tongues: From Soapbox to Soundbite (1997) by Stephen Coleman
  • The future of ideas: the fate of the commons in a connected world (2001) by Lawrence Lessig

[edit] Media references

  • BBC 3 produced a program with Tony Allen on heckling as a lost art for the election in 2005. It was based around teaching two people how to heckle at Speakers' Corner.
  • Episode 24 of Season 6 of the comedy TV series Married... with Children had the Bundy family paying a visit to Speakers' Corner.
  • In Omen III: The Final Conflict, the adult Damien passes through Speakers' Corner and is pointed out as Satan by the priest who speaks there.
  • Karl Pilkington interviews a man who regularly attends Speakers' Corner, claiming to have discovered "the secret to eternal youth." The interview is an extra, featured on Ricky Gervais's DVD entitled FAME.
  • Speakers' Corner appears in one of the early issues of the Grant Morrison comic book The Invisibles (later reprinted at the first Invisibles graphic novel, Say You Want A Revolution).
  • The BBC produced a program on the Park Police.
  • On the 2nd of April 2007 Garry Cobain of The Future Sound of London posted a video onto his Youtube account of him arguing with a lady at Speakers Corner in Hyde Park, London about God entitled "the GOD WARS - An Argument I Had At Speaker's Corner". It is edited in a humorous way by him with the intro title "COMIC BELIEF presents..."[9]
  • The lyrics of British rock group Dire Straits' song "Industrial Disease" (from the Love Over Gold album) refer to Speakers' Corner: "I go down to Speakers' Corner, I'm thunderstruck; they got free speech, tourists, police in trucks. Two men say they're Jesus; one of them must be wrong. There's a protest singer, he's singing a protest song..."
  • Episode 3 season 1 BBC The Speaker contestants have to speak at Speakers' Corner to prove their public speaking skills.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Huggon, Jim: Speakers' Corner: An Anthology. London: Kropotkin’s Lighthouse Publ. 1977
  2. ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2003/feb/05/immigrationpolicy.antiwar
  3. ^ http://www.speakerscornertrust.org/projects/nottingham
  4. ^ http://www.worthing.gov.uk/news/title,60447,en.html
  5. ^ http://jam.canoe.ca/Television/2008/06/12/5862701-cp.html
  6. ^ Spreeksteen.nl
  7. ^ Rose, Saul. Socialism in Southern Asia. London: Oxford University Press, 1959. p. 181
  8. ^ Trager, Frank N (ed.). Marxism in Southeast Asia; A Study of Four Countries. Stanford, Calif: Stanford University Press, 1959. p. 97
  9. ^ http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=DNtlDv4H9PQ

[edit] External links

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