Rise in injunctions against HS2 protesters – The Guardian

‘HS2 protesters have been accused of practising early morning yoga, swimming naked in a lake and “howling at the moon” as a council seeks a high court injunction to stop direct action against the project.’

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The Guardian, 13th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Racism campaigners call for police watchdog to be abolished – The Guardian

‘Black families in the UK whose loved ones have died in incidents involving the police have called for the abolition of the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which investigates the police, and the immediate suspension of officers involved in deaths as part of a new plan to address systemic racism and unlawful killings.’

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The Guardian, 14th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Protesting During a Pandemic: What Are Your Rights? – 3PB

‘The general rule is that everyone has the right to associate with others and to gather together for a common purpose. Article 11 of the ECHR safeguards our right to peaceful assembly and is one of the foundations of a democratic society. This means that the State cannot interfere with your right to join a peaceful assembly and protest, even if the protest is against the State itself, or simply because the protest might cause inconvenience or lead to heated debate and tension. Article 11 does not safeguard intentionally violent protests; the State can interfere where a protest turns violent.’

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3PB, 4th June 2020

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Courts ‘preparing to fast-track prosecutions for Black Lives Matter protesters’ – Daily Telegraph

‘British courts are preparing to fast-track prosecutions for the Black Lives Matter protests, as justice secretary Robert Buckland has told magistrates to model the process along the lines of the response to rioting in London in 2011, The Times reported.’

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Daily Telegraph, 12th June 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

There have been no successful prosecutions for deaths in British police custody since 1969 – here’s why – The Guardian

‘Black people account for 3% of the population, but 8% of deaths in custody. As a former chief prosecutor, I know this is only the end point of a system that disproportionately suspects, arrests, convicts and imprisons BAME people.’

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The Guardian, 11th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

COVID-19 and the Right to Protest – St John’s Buildings

‘Criminal barrister Rebecca Penfold has co-authored an article with Aparna Rao of 5 Paper Buildings about Covid-19 and the right to protest. It asks what rights do individual citizens have to protest, whilst subject to lockdown restrictions in England?’

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St John's Buildings, 3rd June 2020

Source: stjohnsbuildings.com

Neville Lawrence: black people still second-class citizens in Britain – The Guardian

‘Father of Stephen Lawrence says police’s promises to change have not been met.’

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The Guardian, 9th June 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Anti-racism Protests: What Are Your Rights Amid The Pandemic? – Each Other

‘Anti-racism protests are taking place across the UK to demand justice following the death of George Floyd, the unarmed black man killed in US police custody.’

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Each Other, 5th June 2020

Source: eachother.org.uk

Coronavirus: Are protests legal amid lockdown? – BBC News

‘Solidarity protests against the death of George Floyd in the US are continuing to take place in the UK – but are they actually legal given the coronavirus lockdown?’

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BBC News, 3rd June 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

‘Justice not charity’ – the blind marchers who made history – BBC News

‘A century ago blind and partially sighted people marched on London to lobby the government to improve their living and working conditions. The 1920 Blind March has become a milestone in the history of the disability rights movement. But as recreating a large gathering is not possible in current circumstances, blind people are using their daily personal exercise to mark the anniversary.’

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BBC News, 30th April 2020

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Case Comment by Nathan Davis – Pwr and others v Director of Public Prosecutions [2020] EWHC 798 (Admin) – is an offence under section 13(1) Terrorism Act 2000 a strict liability offence? – Park Square Barristers

Posted April 20th, 2020 in chambers articles, demonstrations, news, strict liability, terrorism by sally

‘Pwr and others v Director of Public Prosecutions [2020] EWHC 798 (Admin) – is an offence under section 13(1) Terrorism Act 2000 a strict liability offence?’

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Park Square Barristers, 9th April 2020

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Application to end draconian UKOG injunction banning peaceful protest at oil sites in Surrey and Sussex – Garden Court Chambers

‘Lawyers for five peaceful protestors, supported by the Weald Action Group, have applied to the High Court to bring an end to an interim injunction against protest at oil sites in Surrey and Sussex in line with a new Court of Appeal ruling.’

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Garden Court Chambers, 1st April 2020

Source: www.gardencourtchambers.co.uk

Killing the goose? – Hardwicke Chambers

Posted March 19th, 2020 in anonymity, demonstrations, injunctions, news by sally

‘On 5 March 2020 the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in Canada Goose UK Retail Ltd v Person Unknown [2020] EWCA Civ 303. The case concerned protests at the claimant’s Regent Street shop against the brand’s use of animal fur and down. But the Court of Appeal gave wide and authoritative guidance in relation to claims for injunctions against un-named defendants (“persons unknown.”)’

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Hardwicke Chambers, 12th March 2020

Source: hardwicke.co.uk

Extinction Rebellion activists cleared after arresting officer books holiday during trial – Daily Telegraph

‘A group of Extinction Rebellion (XR) protestors who brought City of London Airport to a standstill were given £280 to cover travel costs to court, after their case collapsed because a key police witness is on holiday.’

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Daily Telegraph, 28th January 2020

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Pickets, prayers and protests: using anti-social behaviour legislation to curb protest – UK Police Law Blog

‘Two recent cases have required the High Court and Court of Appeal to consider in detail the use by local authorities of different powers contained in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (“ASBCPA”) to limit or prevent protests that have contained a strong religious or moral element. To what extent are the courts prepared to sanction the use of these powers in relation to types of activities that perhaps would not immediately spring to mind when the words “anti-social behaviour” are heard? The answer, in two words, is “very prepared”, judging by the decisions in the cases of Dulgerhiu v London Borough of Ealing [2019] EWCA Civ 1490 and Birmingham City Council v Asfar [2019] EWHC 3217 (QB).’

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UK Police Law Blog, 27th January 2020

Source: ukpolicelawblog.com

Priti Patel defends inclusion of Extinction Rebellion on terror list – Home Office

‘The home secretary, Priti Patel, has defended anti-terror police for putting the Extinction Rebellion environmental protest group on a list of extremist ideologies, saying it was important to look at “a range of security risks”.’

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Home Office, 13th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Man, 81, seeks to quash conviction for apartheid protest – The Guardian

Posted January 6th, 2020 in appeals, demonstrations, disclosure, evidence, human rights, inquiries, news, police, spying by sally

‘An 81-year-old retired academic is seeking to overturn a criminal conviction he received after taking part in an anti-apartheid protest that had been infiltrated by an undercover police officer.’

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The Guardian, 6th January 2020

Source: www.theguardian.com

Extinction Rebellion trial jury express regret at convicting activists – The Guardian

Posted December 19th, 2019 in climate change, demonstrations, juries, news, railways by sally

‘A jury has expressed its regret at convicting three Extinction Rebellion protesters who glued themselves to a Docklands Light Railway train at Canary Wharf.’

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The Guardian, 18th December 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Education, street protests and injunctions: Afsar – Law & Religion UK

‘Birmingham City Council v Afsar & Ors [2019] EWHC 3217 (QB) was a claim by the Council for injunctions to restrict street protests about Anderton Park Infant and Junior School and to prohibit online abuse of teachers at that school.’

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Law & Religion UK, 2nd December 2019

Source: www.lawandreligionuk.com

Extinction Rebellion: The ‘reluctant activists’ facing criminal records – BBC News

Posted December 2nd, 2019 in climate change, demonstrations, imprisonment, news, public order by sally

‘Thousands of people from across the UK have been arrested this year as part of climate change protests that police said have stretched resources.’

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BBC News, 1st December 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk