Don’t Panic: What to expect if you are arrested at a protest

Image courtesy of Stefan Weil – support his work here This article is about general arrest powers at protests, not covid arrests. The covid regulations change regularly, and can be different in different areas. See Liberty’s article for more information on Step 1 rules which, as of 29 March 2021, apply to every area inContinue reading “Don’t Panic: What to expect if you are arrested at a protest”

Institutional Racism: what racial discrimination by the police looks like, and what to do about it

Image courtesy of Misan Harriman – 2020 Racial discrimination can be difficult to pin down as an individual. How do you know if a police officer is discriminating against you when they act in a certain way? You might be unsure whether they act this way towards everyone. If you do raise it, the officer might explicitlyContinue reading “Institutional Racism: what racial discrimination by the police looks like, and what to do about it”

Take notice: What are FPNs and how should you react to them?

Fixed penalty notices (FPNs) have become a common tool of the police during the coronavirus lockdown. As of the 21st September, 18,912 FPNs had been given out in England and Wales since the start of the lockdown (26th March). That’s roughly 106 a day. Unsurprisingly, records show that the police handed out FPNs to BAMEContinue reading “Take notice: What are FPNs and how should you react to them?”

Nothing new to say, and that’s the problem

At 1am on Wednesday 11 November, the Joint Committee on Human Rights tweeted out their newest report, entitled Black people, racism and human rights. Anyone expecting a new insightful take on the subject will be disappointed. But that was very much the point. The main conclusion of the report is exactly what Black organisations haveContinue reading “Nothing new to say, and that’s the problem”

Policing the police; what can you do when the police act unlawfully?

Image courtesy of Stefan Weil – support his work here The BPLS Legal Observers work hard to document police conduct at marches. However, the police often misuse their powers in all sorts of contexts and we can’t always be there. Here are some tips on how to hold the police to account. Whether you’re inContinue reading “Policing the police; what can you do when the police act unlawfully?”

Under pressure? Everything you need to know about kettling

At almost 2am on the morning of 8th June, a police officer finally stepped aside to let Monique start the long walk home. She had been held by the police in the street for 6 hours. She had not been arrested, had not committed a crime, or even been accused of one. Monique was aContinue reading “Under pressure? Everything you need to know about kettling”

Knowing your rights regarding protesting in the UK

Black Protest Legal Support know that information is important. An imbalance of information can give one group an unfair advantage over another. Protesting is a legal right, and the police have to have very specific grounds to stop you. If you are stopped by the police it is important to know your rights and howContinue reading “Knowing your rights regarding protesting in the UK”

Defining Racism

The term ‘racism’ carries a lot of weight, but people still argue over what it means When we refer to ‘racism’, we are not just talking about the most prolific examples. Racism isn’t limited to burning crosses or vicious slurs. It can also be found in subtle or systemic forms. An uncertain definition allows aContinue reading “Defining Racism”