Protest Law and Public Order Offences

We are one of very few solicitor firms who have been recommended as lawyers with expertise in dealing with protest cases by The Network for Police Monitoring

You can contact us in advance to arrange for expert protest police station solicitors to be on standby if you know you are going on a protest and may need assistance. Our 24-hour emergency number is 07841454170. You can also ask for the police to contact us once you are at the police station. 

What we do

We advise and represent arrestees at the police station, as well as those at Court charged with criminal offences, arising out of large or small demonstrations or civil disobedience. These range from being accused of serious offences such as violent disorder, to obstructing the highway or breaching the conditions imposed on a protest. 

Similarly, we can advise and represent you if you are accused of offences against the police, such as assaulting or obstructing police in exercise of their functions.  We will always consider if there is a technical point in relation to police actions and whether they may have been acting unlawfully or outside the scope of their duty. This can amount to a defence on its own, even if you have used force against or obstructed a police officer e.g. where you are subject to an unlawful stop-and-search, unlawful squat eviction or excessive force has been used against you.  

It may be that your case requires a significant amount of preparation to trace witnesses, investigate CCTV or to seek further disclosure from the prosecution, which we will undertake on your behalf.  We will also consider whether your rights under the ECHR are being interfered with by the State through prosecution, and seek to persuade the Crown to drop the case against you on public interest grounds.

Many of our solicitors have been involved in campaigning themselves about a variety of causes including legal aid cuts, racism and environmental issues, and we understand that you may wish to highlight the reasons for your actions during your case and will strive to achieve your aims throughout.

Our protest lawyers’ expertise

We can help you whatever the allegation and our expertise includes:

  • Obstructing the highway
  • Aggravated trespass
  • Criminal damage
  • Assault on police/emergency worker
  • Obstructing police in the execution of their duty
  • Failing to comply with conditions imposed on protests
  • Breach of dispersal notice
  • Riot
  • Violent disorder
  • Affray
  • Section 4 /4A / 5 of Public Order Act 1984
  • Being a public nuisance
  • Vehicle interference
  • Breach of community protection notice
  • Breach of criminal behaviour order

Contact us

We can be contacted on 020 7790 4032 or main@efbw.co.uk.  We are available 24 hours a day for police station representation.  Our 24-hour emergency number is 07841454170

 

To speak to one of our experts please get in touch