When visiting London, Speakers’ Corner is a destination you cannot miss. It is a part of Hyde Park near Marble Arch, which has been set aside for people to speak their mind, and exercise their right of free speech. This makes for a unique experience for anyone listening; it is unscripted and freewheeling street theatre.

It has its roots in the 1850s when workers were protesting and assembling in groups in Hyde Park. There was a push for the protection of the right to speak, and in 1872, the Parks Regulation Act did that.

Since then, people have been free to stand up on their boxes and speak freely on the subject of their choice. There are rules, such as no profanity or inciting riots, but no topic is off limits.

In the past, this free assembly has seen many famous people speaking, such as Vladimir Lenin, Karl Marx, George Orwell, and William Morris.

The best time to visit is on Sundays.

These days, you are more likely to see people standing on stepladders instead of soapboxes, but the same spirit of grassroots democracy lingers on. There are regulars who come to speak or listen frequently and tourists who are just passing through, each are equally welcome to tell their tale or comment on that of another.

It is a totally open and classless forum; your presence is the only admission ticket you need. However, if you do choose to participate, be forewarned and perhaps thick-skinned, as hecklers abound and what may start out as a civilized discussion can quickly devolve into a loud and fierce debate.

Topics usually are those intended to provoke intense debate, such as religion, politics, and current events.

Some of the speakers may seem bizarre or even mentally imbalanced, their obsessions having taken over their better judgment. Obviously this street theatre attracts the extremists, but that’s not all there is to see.

Many people consider this to be one of the best places to take the pulse of public opinion, and feel that it is a window on the mood of the population, albeit a small sampling.

For an authentic taste of London, this bastion of British free public speech is unsurpassed.

Visiting Speakers’ Corner

Address: Hyde Park, Hyde Park, W2 2UH

Photo courtesy: gruntzooki

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