G20 police tactics were illegal, high court rules
Tactics used by Met officers against climate camp demonstrators in 2009 contravened public order laws, says judgment The high court has ruled that the Metropolitan police broke the law in the way they “kettled” protesters at the G20 demonstrations in 2009. In a landmark judgment released on Thursday, high court judges found for protesters who had claimed police treated them unfairly. The court heard that officers used punches to the face, slaps and shields against demonstrators whom police chiefs accept had nothing to do with violence. The case concerned the G20 protests in London on 1 April 2009, during which Ian Tomlinson, a bystander, died after being struck by an officer. Police in charge of the protest ordered a climate camp to be kettled and then cleared, but officers were left to decide how much force they should use. Video shot on the day showed demonstrators trying to avoid being beaten by raising their hands in the air and chanting “this is not a riot” at police clad in helmets and riot gear. Officers on the videos are seen to strike demonstrators, who cannot be seen to be engaged in any violence. On 1 April 2009, there were several demonstrations in the area, but the court case deals with a climate camp in Bishopsgate. A police chief accepts it was peaceful but decided it should be contained to avoid potentially violent people joining it. Officers were told they were containing or detaining those in the climate camp to prevent a breach of the peace. Protesters would be held for hours. Notebooks secured from some officers contain admissions they used violence, but officers said this was to protect themselves or colleagues. The protesters bringing the case say police were indiscriminate in detaining and isolating the peaceful climate camp. In documents setting out their case, their lawyers say: “The police took action against the climate camp as if it were a violent crowd … That is how the instruction to impose containment was interpreted by officers on the ground.” The Metropolitan police says kettling, or detaining a mass of people, is a necessary tactic to tackle the potential for violence at demonstrations. The force and its lawyers are expected to study the judgment. Police Protest G20 Climate Camp Activism Vikram Dodd guardian.co.uk
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G20 police tactics were illegal, high court rules
Tactics used by Met officers against climate camp demonstrators in 2009 contravened public order laws, says judgment The high court has ruled that the Metropolitan police broke the law in the way they “kettled” protesters at the G20 demonstrations in 2009. In a landmark judgment released on Thursday, high court judges found for protesters who had claimed police treated them unfairly. The court heard that officers used punches to the face, slaps and shields against demonstrators whom police chiefs accept had nothing to do with violence. The case concerned the G20 protests in London on 1 April 2009, during which Ian Tomlinson, a bystander, died after being struck by an officer. Police in charge of the protest ordered a climate camp to be kettled and then cleared, but officers were left to decide how much force they should use. Video shot on the day showed demonstrators trying to avoid being beaten by raising their hands in the air and chanting “this is not a riot” at police clad in helmets and riot gear. Officers on the videos are seen to strike demonstrators, who cannot be seen to be engaged in any violence. On 1 April 2009, there were several demonstrations in the area, but the court case deals with a climate camp in Bishopsgate. A police chief accepts it was peaceful but decided it should be contained to avoid potentially violent people joining it. Officers were told they were containing or detaining those in the climate camp to prevent a breach of the peace. Protesters would be held for hours. Notebooks secured from some officers contain admissions they used violence, but officers said this was to protect themselves or colleagues. The protesters bringing the case say police were indiscriminate in detaining and isolating the peaceful climate camp. In documents setting out their case, their lawyers say: “The police took action against the climate camp as if it were a violent crowd … That is how the instruction to impose containment was interpreted by officers on the ground.” The Metropolitan police says kettling, or detaining a mass of people, is a necessary tactic to tackle the potential for violence at demonstrations. The force and its lawyers are expected to study the judgment. Police Protest G20 Climate Camp Activism Vikram Dodd guardian.co.uk
Posted by
on April 14, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News.
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