The online panel event on Wednesday, 24th January was a master class on the right to protest. For law students, academics, practitioners, in house lawyers, case workers, and policy advisors, the chance to hear from the top lawyers and organisations in the field was not to be missed.
The scope and reach of the recent legislative measures, the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023, were discussed, as were the societal shifts impacting the use of protest as a means of effecting change. Key cases, from Tabernacle and Cuadrilla, to the most recent such as the Colston 4, the Stansted 15 and Insulate Britain were explored and vital insights drawn. The impact of the current landscape on the right to protest and the rule of law was placed under the microscope.
On the panel were:
- Kirsty Brimelow KC of Doughty Street Chambers
- Raj Chada of Hodge Jones & Allen
- Akiko Hart, Director of Liberty
- Tyrone Steele, Senior Project Lawyer at JUSTICE
James Harper, General Counsel of Global Nexis Solutions and Executive Sponsor of the Rule of Law and CSR at LexisNexis, moderated the discussion.
For all law undergraduates thinking of entering our essay competition, the panel provided an exceptional analysis of where we are today, and the challenges faced by both citizens and lawyers, set in the context of fundamental rights. An insightful discussion to inspire an answer to the essay question: ‘Should the right to protest be unfettered?’.
But if you did miss it, the event was recorded by our hosts LexisNexis, and you can listen to the full session here.
The panel provided links to further resources on the right to protest:
JUSTICE
JUSTICE report ‘The State we are in: Addressing Threats and Challenges to the Rule of Law’.
Become a member of JUSTICE, as a student or practitioner, here.
Liberty
The work of Liberty is set out here.
And more detailed information about the right to protest.
Police Foundation
The Police Foundation blog is a useful source of alternative insights.
ILBF law undergraduate essay competition
The deadline for entries is 29th February at 4pm.
All details of the competition and how to enter are here.
