Father Christmas arrested in 1971 Oxford Street protest

John Davey was arrested and fined £2 for obstruction during a protest on Oxford Street on 18 December 1971. The demonstration, organised by the Oxford Street Action Committee, involved chaining the street and distributing balloons to highlight pollution and safety issues. Davey, who was protesting on his 28th birthday, was dressed as Father Christmas as part of the unconventional demonstration. His family views the eventual pedestrianisation of Oxford Street as a positive outcome.

Pollution and safety concerns spurred the protest

More than 50 years before Oxford Street became car-free, John Davey was arrested for his role in a demonstration aimed at addressing pollution and pedestrian safety. His daughter, Helen, recalled her father when she heard the news of the street's pedestrianisation. His wife, Lizzie Davey, remembered the early 1970s as a time of noticeable exhaust fumes and dusty, polluted air on the busy shopping street. With four lanes of traffic running along Oxford Street, police often had to use loudspeakers to prevent shoppers from spilling into the road during peak times.

John and Lizzie Davey, then members of the youth wing of the Liberal Party, were known for their eye-catching campaigns. Their concern over central London traffic led to an unconventional idea. Initially, they planned to bring balloons to the city to symbolise fresh air, as pollution was not widely discussed at the time. Later, as part of the newly formed Oxford Street Action Committee, they planned a demonstration to present an alternative vision for the street.

Father Christmas chained the street

On 18 December 1971, the last Saturday before Christmas and John Davey's 28th birthday, the demonstration took place. While Lizzie watched from Hyde Park Corner, John, dressed in a Father Christmas suit purchased from Woolworths, carried a pole with balloons. He later wrote in his diary that police appeared nervous, unaware of how the group intended to close the street, despite a prior fly-posting announcement. Helen Davey explained that her father, disguised as Santa, appeared to be part of an innocent Christmas parade.

Lizzie Davey was not informed of the full plan to maintain an element of surprise. A female campaigner, pushing a pram with what appeared to be a doll, concealed a heavy-duty chain with padlocks. At precisely 11am, as the traffic lights turned red, the group acted. Two individuals grabbed the padlocks and attached the chain to the traffic light poles, blocking the highway. Lizzie Davey expressed delight upon seeing the chain appear from the pram.

The protest was short-lived, as police officers quickly intervened. John Davey wrote that officers "rugby-tackled everyone in sight," removed the chain, and traffic resumed. He was taken to a police bus and charged with obstruction for waving a pole with balloons, which the police deemed a danger to passers-by. Davey considered the description an "over description" but accepted the charge. He was fined £2, with an additional £2 in costs.

A lasting legacy

Lizzie Davey acknowledged the protest's brief duration but highlighted the significant publicity generated. She described the media attention on Santa Claus being arrested at Christmastime as "brilliant." While Lizzie avoided arrest, she watched her husband being taken away. Helen, who was being looked after by her grandmother during the demonstration, believes her father would be surprised by the changes to Oxford Street today. She noted improvements such as the clean-air tax and electric vehicles, concluding that he would be pleased the street has been pedestrianised.