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The bigger picture

31 May 2007
Issue: 7275 / Categories: Features , Public , Human rights
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Adam Clemens looks at the courts’ approach to balancing a person’s right to demonstrate with the powers of the police to stop them

It’s a pretty safe bet that public demonstrations—from animal rights to Iraq—will increase. Policing of demonstrations will, inevitably, come in for closer scrutiny because Art 10 and 11 rights (freedom of expression and peaceful assembly) under the European Convention on Human Rights (the Convention) now have proper recognition. Any failure by police forces to realise the strengths and the implications of those rights—and their obligation to facilitate lawful protest—will lead to ineffective planning, and tortured arguments being taken on appeal when plans break down and civil actions or judicial reviews rain down. In April, the police failed on an Art 2 (right to life) Convention point in Van Colle v Chief Constable of the Hertfordshire Police [2007] EWCA Civ 325, [2007] All ER (D) 190 (Apr) in which the defendant in criminal allegations carried out his threat to kill Giles Van Colle, the main prosecution witness against him. Damages were reduced from £50,000

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
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