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Victory for anti-war protesters Victory for anti-war protesters
(10 minutes later)
Campaigners have won their legal battle to prove their rights to protest were violated at an anti-war demo. Campaigners have won a legal battle to prove their rights to protest were violated when police stopped them from attending an anti-war demonstration.
Coaches carrying about 120 protesters were stopped by police near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in March 2003, just before the Iraq war began. About 120 Iraq war protesters were held on coaches by police near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire in March 2003.
The High Court and Court of Appeal have already ruled police acted unlawfully in detaining protesters on the coaches. The High Court and Court of Appeal had already ruled police acted unlawfully in holding protesters on the coaches.
Law Lords said on Wednesday that police did violate the right to freedom of movement and lawful assembly. But on Wednesday Law Lords ruled police did violate the right to freedom of movement and lawful assembly.
This overturned a previous High Court ruling. This overturned a previous High Court ruling that police did not violate the protesters' rights to freedom of expression and lawful assembly.
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.