Met to pay £10,000 to woman detained overnight after Sarah Everard vigil – The Guardian

‘The Metropolitan police has agreed to pay £10,000 in damages to a woman arrested at the Sarah Everard vigil in Clapham, her solicitors have said.’

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The Guardian, 13th March 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK home secretary may tighten restrictions on protests – The Guardian

Posted February 29th, 2024 in demonstrations, news, notification, police by sally

‘The home secretary, James Cleverly, is considering further tightening the law around demonstrations, including a requirement for protesters to increase the amount of notice they give to police before large demonstrations, a minister has said.’

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The Guardian, 28th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Climate protesters guilty of trespass at Wimbledon – BBC News

Posted February 27th, 2024 in climate change, conditional discharge, demonstrations, news, sentencing, sport, trespass by tracey

‘Three Just Stop Oil protesters have been found guilty of storming the Wimbledon tennis courts with confetti and puzzle pieces.’

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BBC News, 26th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Removing UK climate protesters’ defence ‘could erode right to trial by jury’ – The Guardian

‘A UK government attempt to remove one of the last remaining defences for climate protesters would be a slippery slope to the erosion of the constitutional right to trial by jury, the court of appeal was told on Wednesday.’

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The Guardian, 21st February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Pro-Palestinian protests: Paraglider badge wearers guilty of terror offences – BBC News

‘Three women have been found guilty of terrorism offences after they displayed images of paragliders, “celebrating” the Hamas tactics.’

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BBC News, 13th February 2024

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Home Office plans new protest offences and anti-Zionism is a protected belief – UK Human Rights Blog

‘The Home Office has announced its intention to create new offences relating to actions taken by attendees at protests. The plans include making it an offence to possess flares or pyrotechnics at a protest, to wear a face covering at a protest, and to climb on war memorials. The changes will be added as amendments to the Criminal Justice Bill. The Home Office has emphasised that the new rules are not a blanket ban on face coverings, and only apply where the protester’s intention is to conceal their identity.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 12th February 2024

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

New protest laws on face coverings and pyrotechnics – Home Office

‘Police will be given powers to arrest protesters who wear face coverings to threaten others and avoid prosecution, and pyrotechnics will be banned at protests.’

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Home Office, 8th February 2024

Source: www.gov.uk

Masked protesters could soon face arrest, says Home Office – The Guardian

Posted February 8th, 2024 in demonstrations, identification, news, police, public order by tracey

‘Protesters who wear masks could face arrest, up to a month in jail and a £1,000 fine under proposed measures that human rights campaigners claim are pandering to “culture war nonsense”.’

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The Guardian, 8th February 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

UN expert condemns UK crackdown on environmental protest – The Guardian

‘A severe crackdown on environmental protest in Britain with “draconian” new laws, excessive restrictions on courtroom evidence and the use of civil injunctions is having a chilling impact on fundamental freedoms, the United Nations special rapporteur has said.’

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The Guardian, 23rd January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

Islamist group Hizb ut-Tahrir to be banned from organising in UK – The Guardian

Posted January 16th, 2024 in demonstrations, Islam, Judaism, news, proscribed organisations, terrorism by tracey

‘Hizb ut-Tahrir will be banned from organising in the UK after claims that the group is antisemitic, the home secretary has said. The Islamist group, which is already banned in countries including Germany and Indonesia, will no longer be allowed to recruit or hold protests and meetings across the UK.’

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The Guardian, 15th January 2024

Source: www.theguardian.com

High court challenge to ‘constitutionally unprecedented’ UK anti-protest law – The Guardian

‘A new law making it easier for the police to put conditions on peaceful protests is “constitutionally unprecedented” and unlawful, according to a claim filed at the high court in London.’

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The Guardian, 29th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Adviser warns UK government against tightening laws on glorifying terrorism – The Guardian

Posted November 23rd, 2023 in demonstrations, freedom of expression, news, reports, terrorism by sally

‘No 10 should not implement plans to amend the law on glorifying terrorism after the pro-Palestine marches as it would do “no favours” to police, MI5 or the probation service, a government adviser has said.’

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The Guardian, 23rd November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Reasonable for protesters to call Iain Duncan Smith ‘Tory scum’, court rules – The Guardian

‘Two protesters were “reasonable” in calling Iain Duncan Smith “Tory scum” outside the Conservative party conference, the high court has ruled, in a rejection of an attempt to overturn their acquittal.’

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The Guardian, 21st November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Just Stop Oil protesters’ jail terms potentially breach international law, UN expert says – The Guardian

‘Long sentences handed to two Just Stop Oil protesters for scaling the M25 bridge over the Thames are a potential breach of international law and risk silencing public concerns about the environment, a UN expert has said.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

How will recent and future legislation affect the right to protest in the UK? – The Guardian

Posted November 14th, 2023 in demonstrations, human rights, news, proscribed organisations, public order by sally

‘We examine the myriad of current laws and others being proposed to curb different types of protests and activism.’

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The Guardian, 13th November 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Met uses new anti-protest powers to arrest climate protesters for first time – The Guardian

Posted November 1st, 2023 in climate change, demonstrations, London, news, police, public order by sally

‘Police have arrested more than 60 climate activists taking part in a slow march outside parliament in the first use of draconian new anti-protest powers.’

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The Guardian, 30th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bristol grandma among Just Stop Oil M25 activists spared jail – BBC News

‘A 76-year-old grandmother is among 12 activists spared jail for causing “massive disruption” on the M25.’

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BBC News, 31st October 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Gaps in UK law allowing ‘jihad’ to be shouted were ‘known to government’ – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2023 in demonstrations, government departments, London, news, police, terrorism by tracey

‘Gaps in UK law that would allow words such as “jihad” to be shouted at rallies were known to the government but not acted upon, Britain’s former head of counter-terrorism has revealed.’

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The Guardian, 22nd October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Women still being harassed at abortion clinics despite buffer zone law – The Guardain

Posted October 19th, 2023 in abortion, demonstrations, government departments, harassment, news by sally

‘Women using abortion clinics are still being harassed despite MPs voting a year ago to create buffer zones to stop protesters intimidating them, medical and abortion groups say.’

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The Guardian, 18th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Israel-Hamas war: what are the laws about protest in England and Wales? – The Guardian

‘Police have made dozens of arrests after protests across the UK against a bombing campaign and expected ground war in Gaza after the murderous attacks by Hamas in Israel.’

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The Guardian, 16th October 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com