UK’s ‘headlong rush into abandoning human rights’ rebuked by Amnesty – The Guardian

‘Amnesty International has published a stark rebuke of the UK government’s stance on human rights, saying that it is “speeding towards the cliff edge” in its policies on housing and immigration, and criticising its seeming determination to end the legal right for the public to challenge government decisions in court.’

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The Guardian, 7th April 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

If the government cares about freedom of expression, why is it passing the police and crime bill? – Kirsty Brimelow – The Guardian

Posted April 6th, 2021 in bills, demonstrations, freedom of expression, news, police by sally

‘The new legislation would crush the principle of policing by consent in the UK and stifle democratic change.’

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The Guardian, 5th April 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Police watchdog accused of skewing report to back protests clampdown – The Guardian

‘The official policing inspectorate showed repeated bias in favour of the police and against peaceful protesters as it compiled a report which backed a government clampdown, a whistleblower has alleged. The complainant says a report on protest released in March this year was skewed in favour of the government view, with conclusions reached before evidence was gathered and assessed.’

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The Guardian, 31st March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sarah Everard vigil report strongly defends police’s use of force – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2021 in demonstrations, inquiries, news, police by sally

‘The police inspectorate has delivered a sweeping exoneration of officers’ manhandling of women mourning the killing of Sarah Everard, instead denouncing politicians who criticised the force.’

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The Guardian, 30th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Prophet Muhammad cartoon sparks Batley Grammar School protest – BBC News

Posted March 26th, 2021 in complaints, demonstrations, Islam, news, school children, teachers by sally

‘A teacher who showed pupils an “inappropriate” cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad – sparking protests outside a school – has been suspended.’

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BBC News, 25th March 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Clapham vigil policing investigator is suing Home Office for sex and race bias – The Guardian

‘The investigator helping coordinate the official inquiry into the Metropolitan police’s handling of the Sarah Everard vigil and concerns over women’s safety is suing the Home Office for sex discrimination over claims that he has been penalised for being a “white man”, the Observer can reveal.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bill that curtails ability to protest in England and Wales passes second reading – The Guardian

Posted March 17th, 2021 in bills, criminal justice, demonstrations, news, parliament, police by sally

‘A landmark government crime bill has passed its first parliamentary hurdle, even as some Conservative MPs served notice that they might subsequently support amendments to water down controversial restrictions against protests.’

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The Guardian, 16th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

New safety measures after Sarah Everard death – BBC News

‘”Immediate steps” aimed at improving safety for women and girls in England have been announced by Downing Street after Sarah Everard’s death. Among them is an additional £25m for better lighting and CCTV as well as a pilot scheme which would see plain-clothes officers in pubs and clubs.’

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BBC News, 16th March 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Policing bill: What are the new powers to ‘manage’ protests? – The Independent

Posted March 15th, 2021 in bills, demonstrations, investigatory powers, news, police, sentencing by sally

‘Governments of whatever party seem to come up with a new “law and order” bill almost every year, and these often turn into great caravans of minor legal changes, many of which are uncontroversial. The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill, which will be debated by MPs on Monday and Tuesday, is the latest of its kind – and it has suddenly become intensely topical because of the debate over the policing of the vigil for Sarah Everard on Saturday.’

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The Independent, 15th March 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Johnson to chair crime taskforce on violence against women as he calls Everard vigil footage ‘concerning’ – The Independent

‘Boris Johnson will chair a meeting of the government’s crime and justice taskforce on Monday to discuss what more needs to be done to stamp out violence against women and girls.’

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The Independent, 15th March 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Sarah Everard: Court challenge over Clapham vigil ban – BBC News

Posted March 12th, 2021 in coronavirus, demonstrations, human rights, murder, news, women by sally

‘Organisers of a vigil in response to the disappearance of Sarah Everard are going to the High Court after police said gatherings would be “unlawful”.’

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BBC News, 12th March 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Civil liberties groups call police plans for demos an ‘assault’ on right to protest – The Guardian

Posted March 11th, 2021 in bills, demonstrations, freedom of expression, news, police, reports by sally

‘Civil liberties campaigners have warned of a “staggering assault” on the right to protest, as police detailed how they would enforce controversial government proposals to restrict demonstrations.’

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The Guardian, 11th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Stansted 15’ face no further action over airport protest – BBC News

‘Protesters who broke into Stansted Airport to stop a plane deporting people to Africa will face no further action through the courts.’

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BBC News, 25th February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Eviction of Euston tunnel HS2 protesters can continue, judge rules – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2021 in demonstrations, health & safety, human rights, news, railways by sally

‘A high court judge has ruled against a call to halt the eviction of protesters from a tunnel beside Euston Square on grounds of safety.’

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The Guardian, 10th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

“Contested heritage” and offensive inscriptions: Re St Margaret Rottingdean – Law & Religion UK

Posted February 5th, 2021 in burials and cremation, demonstrations, ecclesiastical law, news, racism by sally

‘On 17 June 2020, we posted Of graves, headstones and “offensive” inscriptions: Re St Margaret’s Rottingdean in which we examined the judgment and directions in Re St Margaret Rottingdean [2020] ECC Chi 4, handed down on 15 June 2020, in the context of the developments following the public protests associated with the Black Lives Matter campaign which came to a head in the UK over the weekend of 6/7 June 2020 with the toppling of the statue of slave-trader Edward Colston and its deposit in the harbour in Bristol.’

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Law & Religion UK, 4th February 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

Council secures possession order evicting environmental protesters at development site – Local Government Lawyer

‘A High Court judge has granted the London Borough of Islington a possession order for a development site where protesters are occupying a copse scheduled for destruction.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Judge refuses to halt eviction of HS2 activists from Euston tunnel – The Guardian

‘An emergency application to the high court by environmental protesters to stop HS2 evicting them from a tunnel close to Euston station because of safety concerns has been rejected by a judge.’

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The Guardian, 2nd February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Stansted 15’s quashed conviction shows we were never terrorists – The Guardian

Posted February 2nd, 2021 in airports, appeals, demonstrations, deportation, news, terrorism by sally

“I was one of 15 charged for blocking a deportation flight. We’ve got justice, but victims of the UK’s hostile environment haven’t.”

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The Guardian, 2nd February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Stansted 15: Activists who stopped migrant deportation flight have convictions overturned – The Independent

Posted February 1st, 2021 in airports, appeals, demonstrations, deportation, human rights, immigration, news, trespass by sally

‘A group of activists who stopped a deportation flight leaving Stansted airport have had their convictions overturned by the Court of Appeal.’

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The Independent, 30th January 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk

More than 1,000 Extinction Rebellion activists taken to court – The Guardian

‘More than 1,000 people who took part in environmental direct action organised by Extinction Rebellion have been taken to court in what experts say is one of the biggest crackdowns on protest in British legal history.’

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The Guardian, 8th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com