Category: demonstrations

Public protest, private rights – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted March 9th, 2015 in appeals, data protection, demonstrations, human rights, investigatory powers, news, police, privacy, proportionality, Supreme Court, violent disorder by sally

‘R (Catt) and R (T) v Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis [2015] UKSC 9. A majority of the Supreme Court has held that the retention by police of information on the Domestic Extremism Database about a 91 year-old activist’s presence at political protests was (1) in accordance with the law and (2) a proportionate interference with his right to a private life under Article 8(1) of the ECHR.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 6th March 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Barry George in protest over compensation rules – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2015 in compensation, demonstrations, miscarriage of justice, murder, news by sally

‘Barry George, the man wrongfully convicted of the murder of Jill Dando, has told the BBC that a decision not to award him compensation is “a mockery of justice”.’

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BBC News, 23rd February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Outcry as CPS drops trial of anti-drone protesters at last minute – The Independent

Posted February 2nd, 2015 in armed forces, Crown Prosecution Service, demonstrations, documents, evidence, Israel, news, weapons, witnesses by sally

‘The prosecution of arms-trade protesters who occupied a British drone engines manufacturer has been dropped at the last minute, after the company refused to hand over evidence about its exports of weaponry to Israel, The Independent can reveal.’

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The Independent, 30th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Bloody Sunday investigation faces judicial review – BBC News

Posted November 11th, 2014 in demonstrations, homicide, inquiries, judicial review, murder, news, Northern Ireland, police by michael

‘The decision to scale back the police investigation into the deaths of marchers killed by soldiers in Londonderry in 1972 will be challenged in court by victims’ relatives.’

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BBC News, 11th November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Met police to pay more than £400,000 to victim of undercover officer – The Guardian

Posted October 24th, 2014 in compensation, demonstrations, inquiries, news, paternity, police, spying by sally

‘The Metropolitan police are to pay more than £400,000 to a woman who has been profoundly traumatised after discovering by chance that the father of her son was an undercover police officer.’

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The Guardian, 23rd October 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Activists complain to IPCC over police efforts to recruit them as informers – The Guardian

Posted August 5th, 2014 in complaints, demonstrations, informers, intimidation, news, police by sally

‘Four campaigners have lodged a complaint with an official watchdog, alleging that they felt intimidated by covert police officers who were trying to persuade them to spy on their political colleagues.’

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The Guardian, 4th August 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Badger cull injunction breach case dropped – BBC News

Posted May 29th, 2014 in animals, demonstrations, environmental health, injunctions, news, prosecutions by michael

‘The case against the only person accused of breaching last year’s badger cull injunction has been dropped.’

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BBC News, 29th May 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

The Killing of Blair Peach – London Review of Books

Posted May 16th, 2014 in coroners, demonstrations, inquests, news, police, reports by sally

‘‘As a campaign meeting, it must have been one of the biggest yet, a hundred National Front supporters, three and a half thousand police and thousands of Asian demonstrators.’ This was the way News at Ten began its report of the clashes in Southall on 23 April 1979, midway through the general election campaign that would end with the victory of Margaret Thatcher. The report contained footage of police officers arresting middle-aged men in turbans, women sitting down in the road and demonstrators with their heads swaddled in bandages. The final images showed around twenty NF supporters, all men, giving Nazi salutes as they went into Southall Town Hall.’

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London Review of Books, 22nd May 2014

Source: www.lrb.co.uk

Article 8 and the Private Sector – NearlyLegal

Posted March 18th, 2014 in demonstrations, energy, fracking, freedom of expression, human rights, news, repossession, trespass by sally

‘In one sense, the possession claim in Manchester Ship Canal Developments v Persons Unknown [2014] EWHC 645 (Ch) follows a fairly predictable course. The Defendants were a group of activists who had set up camp on Barton Moss Lane, Manchester, in protest at the drilling program being undertaken by a company, Igas Energy plc. The Claimants had granted Igas a licence to drill on the land nearby and the protest was intended to deter the controversial fracking process which the activists feared would ensue.’

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NearlyLegal, 16th March 2014

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Alleged victims’ fury at failure to ban undercover police seduction tactics – The Guardian

Posted March 17th, 2014 in codes of practice, demonstrations, news, police, professional conduct, spying by sally

‘Eight women who say they were duped into forming long-term sexual relationships with undercover policemen have attacked the government’s failure to ban such behaviour in a newly published code of conduct. The Home Office policy suggests there will be a tightening of guidelines on undercover surveillance, but does not explicitly rule out officers engaging in sexual relationships with those being spied on or those who associate with the target. The new code – which is now open to consultation – merely says that intrusion into someone’s “private or family life”, even when they are not the direct targets of the surveillance, should be justified by the information that might be discovered.’

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The Guardian, 16th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Anti-fracking campaigners in Salford can stay, court rules – The Guardian

Posted March 12th, 2014 in appeals, demonstrations, energy, fracking, human rights, news, public order, repossession by sally

‘Demonstrators facing eviction from an anti-fracking camp have won 11th-hour permission to stay put while they go to the court of appeal. On Monday a judge at Manchester’s high court made an order for possession against the collective occupying land at Barton Moss in Salford, Greater Manchester. The order was to take effect from midday today. But eviction was stayed just before the noon deadline by the appeal court to give the protesters an opportunity to apply for permission to appeal.’

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The Guardian, 11th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Anti-fracking campaigners challenge eviction attempt in court – The Guardian

Posted March 7th, 2014 in demonstrations, energy, environmental protection, fracking, homelessness, human rights, news, trespass by sally

‘Anti-fracking protesters who have been camping by a drill site in Greater Manchester since late October have appeared in court to challenge attempts to evict them.’

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The Guardian, 6th March 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pop stars’ daughter who glued herself to anti-fracking protester found guilty – The Guardian

Posted February 25th, 2014 in conditional discharge, costs, demonstrations, energy, fines, fracking, freedom of expression, harassment, news, trespass by sally

‘The daughter of musicians Ray Davies and Chrissie Hynde has been found guilty after supergluing herself to a fellow anti-fracking protester outside the main gate of an exploratory oil drilling site.’

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The Guardian, 24th February 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

‘War crimes’ defence against Israel company protest convictions fails in Supreme Court – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 7th, 2014 in defences, demonstrations, news, public order, trespass by sally

‘Richardson v Director of Public Prosecutions [2014] UKSC 8. The tactics of protesters engaging in demonstrations, or acts of civil disobedience, frequently raise interesting questions of law. A demonstration by two activists opposed to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories, who entered a shop in Covent Garden which sold produce from the Dead Sea, produced on an Israeli settlement, recently resulted in the Supreme Court addressing two such questions.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th February 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Richardson and another (Appellants) v Director of Public Prosecutions (Respondent) – Supreme Court

Posted February 6th, 2014 in appeals, crime, demonstrations, law reports, Supreme Court, trespass by sally

Richardson and another (Appellants) v Director of Public Prosecutions (Respondent) [2014] UKSC 8 (YouTube)

Supreme Court, 5th February 2014

Source: www.youtube.com/user/UKSupremeCourt

Sussex landowners mount ‘legal blockade’ against fracking – BBC News

Posted February 3rd, 2014 in demonstrations, energy, fracking, government departments, local government, news, planning, trespass by sally

‘Landowners in the Sussex Downs National Park are mounting a “legal blockade” to block a potential fracking site. Solicitors for residents near Fernhurst, in West Sussex, have written to Celtique Energie and the Energy Secretary Ed Davey to explicitly deny permission to drill under their land.’

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BBC News, 3rd February 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal aid lawyers form new group to oppose cuts – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted January 29th, 2014 in barristers, budgets, demonstrations, legal aid, news, solicitors by sally

‘Groups representing legal aid lawyers have formed a new campaign group to oppose fresh cuts in funding.’

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Law Society’s Gazette, 28th January 2014

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Campaigner’s lawyers challenge secrecy over police spy accused of lying in court – The Guardian

Posted January 27th, 2014 in appeals, demonstrations, disclosure, evidence, miscarriage of justice, news, oaths, police, public interest, public order by sally

‘Prosecutors are due on Monday to defend their decision to keep secret the cause of a miscarriage of justice involving an undercover police officer who allegedly used his fictitious identity in a criminal trial to conceal his covert work.’

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The Guardian, 26th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Royal wedding protesters lose court appeal against Metropolitan Police – The Independent

Posted January 23rd, 2014 in appeals, demonstrations, news, police, stop and search by sally

‘Republican activists who protested at the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton lost a legal appeal on Wednesday, against a ruling on the conduct of the Metropolitan Police.’

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The Independent, 22nd January 2014

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Court of Appeal ignores Strasbourg ruling on police detention – BBC News

Posted January 22nd, 2014 in appeals, demonstrations, detention, human rights, news, police by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has backed the police over “pre-emptive” arrests during the 2011 Royal Wedding – and ignored a European Court ruling on the issue.’

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BBC News, 22nd January 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk