The Human Rights Act helps us hold power to account. We must defend it – The Guardian

‘Protestors like John Catt are being monitored by the state without explanation – except that they ‘could be a victim’ of a future crime. What’s going on?’

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The Guardian, 26th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Protester, 91, goes to European court over secret police files – The Guardian

‘A 91-year-old whose political activities were covertly recorded by police has won the right to take his legal case to the European court of human rights.’

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The Guardian, 25th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mzee Mohammed death: Liverpool mayor promises transparent inquiry – The Guardian

‘The mayor of Liverpool has sought to reassure the public that an investigation into the death of a black teenager who had been detained by police will be fully transparent, following a weekend of protests in Liverpool and London.’

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The Guardian, 18th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Activists win damages against City police for false imprisonment – The Guardian

Posted July 18th, 2016 in assault, damages, demonstrations, false imprisonment, news, police by sally

‘Eleven activists who took part in G20 protests seven years ago have received more than £60,000 in damages from the City of London police for false imprisonment, assault and breaches of the Human Rights Act. The case has raised serious questions about who owns personal data collected by police.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Student launches legal action against IPCC over CS spray incident – The Guardian

‘A university student who alleges he was assaulted by police during a demonstration has launched legal action against the Independent Police Complaints Commission.’

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The Guardian, 12th July 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Censorship or justified Concern? – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Mrs Justice Whipple dismissed one claim for judicial review, and refused permission to bring a further claim, in respect of decisions made by Southampton University regarding a proposed conference on the legality of the existence of Israel under international law. She held that the University had lawfully withdrawn its permission to hold the conference in April 2015, and refused permission to challenge the University’s subsequent decision to require the conference organisers to meet the conference’s security costs as a condition of allowing the conference to take place at a later date. The conference organisers had claimed that both decisions represented an unlawful interference with their Article 10 right to free expression and Article 11 right to free assembly.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 24th May 2016

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Judge throws out CPS challenge to innocence of protesters who blockaded London arms fair – The Independent

Posted May 25th, 2016 in appeals, Crown Prosecution Service, demonstrations, inquiries, news, weapons by sally

‘A judge has thrown out an appeal by the Crown Prosecution Service against a decision to acquit protesters who tried to blockade the world’s biggest arms fair.’

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The Independent, 24th May 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Planning for Protests – Tanfield Chambers

‘In recent years there have been many high-profile protests on public property; St Paul’s Cathedral and the Parliament Square protests are two of the best known. These resulted in the cases of City of London v Samede and others [2012] EWCA Civ 160 and Hall and others v Mayor of London [2010] EWCA Civ 817. There are also numerous instances of protesters occupying privately-owned commercial land, claiming the protection of human rights defences to stay in possession. Ultimately, the law is against the trespassers but, without swift action, delay can cost the landowner significant sums. These costs are commonly due to the extra security required to prevent further trespassers from entering; the halt to construction or refurbishment works; and the disruption to a working building. It is not uncommon for landowners to incur costs of several hundred thousand pounds while enforcing possession orders against trespassers. Owners would be well advised to plan for such an incursion if there is a risk that their property could be a target.’

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Tanfield Chambers, 19th April 2016

Source: www.tanfieldchambers.co.uk

Investigation launched into claims undercover officer set fire to Debenhams store in 1980s – The Independent

Posted April 21st, 2016 in arson, demonstrations, explosives, investigatory powers, London, news, police by tracey

‘Claims an undercover officer set fire to a high street department store while infiltrating animal rights campaigners are being investigated by the police.’

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The Independent, 20th April 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Student arrested over ‘offensive banner’ about politicians is cleared – The Guardian

Posted February 26th, 2016 in demonstrations, news, prosecutions, public order by tracey

‘Adam Barr, who had banner with disparaging description of David Cameron, Ed Miliband, Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage, has case dropped.’

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The Guardian, 25th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Heathrow 13: climate change protesters avoid jail – The Guardian

Posted February 25th, 2016 in airports, demonstrations, news, sentencing, trespass by sally

‘Six women and seven men have avoided jail for trespassing at Heathrow, following a protest against the possible expansion of the airport.’

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The Guardian, 24th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Young offenders confined to cells in prison officers’ protest – The Guardian

‘Staff at a young offenders institute are refusing to let 300 prisoners out of their cells following a sharp rise in violence at the facility.’

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The Guardian, 17th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jailing Heathrow 13 poses ‘massive threat’ to peaceful protest rights – The Guardian

Posted February 12th, 2016 in demonstrations, environmental protection, news, sentencing, trespass by sally

‘Jailing the 13 activists who last year chained themselves on Heathrow’s northern runway in protest at the airport’s expansion would represent a “massive threat” to the right to peaceful protest in the UK, according to John McDonnell and Caroline Lucas.’

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The Guardian, 12th February 2016

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Heathrow 13: Jailing peaceful protesters would be ‘unprecedented’ attack on dissent, judge told – The Independent

‘A judge has been urged not to act on her threat to jail 13 peaceful environmental protesters – as campaigners warn that the British legal system’s long-standing tolerance towards non-violent direct action is under threat.’

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The Independent, 2nd February 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Files detailing police spying operations against protesters published online – The Guardian

Posted January 15th, 2016 in demonstrations, freedom of information, internet, news, police, spying by sally

‘A large number of files detailing the covert police surveillance of campaigners and trade unionists have been published online following the launch of a new project.’

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The Guardian, 14th January 2016

Source: www.theguardian.com

Regina (Barda) v Mayor of London (on behalf of the Greater London Authority) – WLR Daily

Regina (Barda) v Mayor of London (on behalf of the Greater London Authority) [2015] EWHC 3584 (Admin); [2015] WLR (D) 548

‘The place, manner and form of a protest may be important in determining whether there has been an infringement of a protester’s rights to freedom of expression and assembly, but were not necessarily so.’

WLR Daily, 18th December 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

Man jailed for posting antisemitic material ahead of ‘Jewification’ rally – The Guardian

Posted December 18th, 2015 in demonstrations, inciting racial hatred, news, sentencing by tracey

‘A former hospice worker, who posted “vile” antisemitic material online ahead of a planned neo-Nazi rally, has been jailed for more than three years.’

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The Guardian, 17th December 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Bloody Sunday: Ex-soldiers win High Court fight over questioning in Northern Ireland – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 17th, 2015 in armed forces, demonstrations, news, Northern Ireland, police by tracey

‘Former paratroopers who face questioning over Bloody Sunday have won their High Court battle against being detained and transferred to Northern Ireland for interview by police.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th December 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Police apologise to women who had relationships with undercover officers – The Guardian

‘Police chiefs have apologised unreservedly to seven women who were deceived into forming long-term relationships with undercover police officers, it has been announced.The Metropolitan police have also paid substantial, undisclosed amounts of compensation to the women who had intimate relationships, lasting up to nine years, with the undercover spies.’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Lawyers criticise decision to prosecute housing protester over sticker – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2015 in demonstrations, joint enterprise, news, prosecutions, public order by sally

‘Legal experts have criticised the prosecution of a protester who was arrested when a fellow activist placed a sticker on a window of a block of luxury flats.’

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The Guardian, 22nd October 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk