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Cambridge Atos offices occupied

Give Atos | 11.05.2011 23:20 | Health | Public sector cuts | Social Struggles | Cambridge

The Cambridge Atos offices at 24 Hills Rd have been occupied today from 5pm onwards. Atos are a private company that has been contracted to carry out an unfair test with the aim of forcing disabled people who are unable to work onto Jobseekers' Allowance.

Outside
Outside

Atos destroys lives
Atos destroys lives

Cop
Cop

Another cop
Another cop

This woman was with the cops, we presume she is a plain-clothes police officer
This woman was with the cops, we presume she is a plain-clothes police officer


A few police officers, including a woman in civilian clothes who might have been a plain-clothes cop, came to have a look around. One police officers told the occupiers that they were trespassing, and the occupiers responded that trespassing is only a civil offense which cannot result in arrest. At the time that I left, around 9:30p.m., the atmosphere was fairly chilled.

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Great occupation, some corrections on article...

12.05.2011 01:09


Most importantly;

"trespassing is only a civil offence which cannot result in arrest"

While trespass is most commonly treated as a civil offence it can also be treated as a crime under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (See SAB Groups/ Climate Actions). Either way you CAN be arrested, a court order is need for the former, but it has not always panned out like that.

Not really important but secondly,

"This woman was with the cops, we presume she is a plain-clothes police officer"

Presumptions aren't all that helpful. If you have information to make an assumption please share with us. She could just be the manager of the branch as far as a reader would know.

Solidarity with the occupiers and thanks for posting, I'm not trying to be a prick ;)

Cheers,


F

Further legal clarification

12.05.2011 08:52

further clarification - the act of simple trespass is not an unlawful act. There are several acts of criminal trespass as laid out in the CJPOA 1994 but only aggravated trespass applies in this situation.

The features of aggravated trespass are clear - the act of trespassing is not unlawful and a trespassers must do some other thing intended to deter/obstruct/disrupt the lawful activity of those present to make it a criminal offence.
S68 CJPOA - aggravated trespass
 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/33/section/68

The other forms of trespass laws as laid out in CJPOA - Trespassory assemblies (S61) senior officer applying to the council to prevent assemblies, and - collective trespass (S70) people who want to reside on land for a period of time, do not apply here.

Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994:  http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1994/33/contents

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