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Anti-war protest ruling awaited Victory for anti-war protesters
(about 3 hours later)
The House of Lords is due to rule if police were right to stop anti-war campaigners from protesting outside RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Campaigners have won their legal battle to prove their rights to protest were violated at an anti-war demo.
Coaches carrying about 120 protesters were stopped outside Lechlade in March 2003, just before the Iraq war began. Coaches carrying about 120 protesters were stopped by police near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in March 2003, just before the Iraq war began.
The High Court and Court of Appeal have ruled the police acted unlawfully in detaining protesters on the coaches. The High Court and Court of Appeal have already ruled police acted unlawfully in detaining protesters on the coaches.
But both courts ruled police did not violate protesters' right to freedom of movement and lawful assembly. Law Lords said on Wednesday that police did violate the right to freedom of movement and lawful assembly.
'Demonstrate peacefully' This overturned a previous High Court ruling.
The Law Lords are being asked to overturn that part of the ruling.
Ben Emmerson QC, representing the protesters, told the Law Lords that it was a fundamental right in Britain for citizens to gather to demonstrate peacefully on matters of public interest.Ben Emmerson QC, representing the protesters, told the Law Lords that it was a fundamental right in Britain for citizens to gather to demonstrate peacefully on matters of public interest.
He said it was the responsibility of the police to maintain public order "in a manner which fully respects the rights of those who wish to demonstrate peacefully".He said it was the responsibility of the police to maintain public order "in a manner which fully respects the rights of those who wish to demonstrate peacefully".
Police who authorised two coach-loads of protesters to be stopped and passengers searched while being detained - and then escorted back to London - had breached that right, he said.Police who authorised two coach-loads of protesters to be stopped and passengers searched while being detained - and then escorted back to London - had breached that right, he said.
Police lawyers have argued that rather than interfering with passengers' human rights, they were upholding them by protecting their lives, which would have been put at risk if they had broken into the air base.Police lawyers have argued that rather than interfering with passengers' human rights, they were upholding them by protecting their lives, which would have been put at risk if they had broken into the air base.