Police 'abused power' during demo
nobody in particular | 19.02.2004 11:11 | Anti-militarism | Repression | London | World
Protesters have won their High Court battle over a police decision to detain them on their way to RAF Fairford for an anti-war demonstration.
Lawyers for half the 120 passengers, stopped from protesting last March, accused Gloucestershire Police of acting unlawfully.
Lawyers for half the 120 passengers, stopped from protesting last March, accused Gloucestershire Police of acting unlawfully.
The court ruled that police abused common law when they detained the demonstrators for more than two hours.
Lord Justice May and Mr Justice Harrison, sitting in London, ruled that the protesters' detention and forced return could not be justified under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The protesters were on their way to join a demonstration against the war in Iraq when they were detained.
Police lawyers had said the officers were not only entitled to take the action they did, but were obliged to.
Lord Justice May and Mr Justice Harrison, sitting in London, ruled that the protesters' detention and forced return could not be justified under the European Convention on Human Rights.
The protesters were on their way to join a demonstration against the war in Iraq when they were detained.
Police lawyers had said the officers were not only entitled to take the action they did, but were obliged to.
nobody in particular
