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Scotland Yard's tactic of forcefully containing large numbers of people at demonstrations will be challenged at the European Court of Human Rights today where it will be claimed that "kettling" is a breach of liberty.
Lois Austin is bringing the case after being "kettled" with 3,000 anti-globalisation protesters at Oxford Circus in 2001. They were held without access to water or lavatories and Ms Austin was also prevented from collecting her 11-month-old baby from a creche.
The 40-year-old administrator from London is seeking compensation after an eight-year fight. She claims she was unlawfully imprisoned in the incident.
In January, the law lords ruled the police had acted lawfully in containing Ms Austin because it was necessary to control some elements of the crowd.
There was widespread criticism of "kettling" after it was used extensively during the G20 protests in April.
Reader views (5)
'Kettling' is utterly unacceptable.
If someone is breaking the law - arrest him.
If someone is NOT breaking the law - leave him alone.
I realise the police are pretty dumb but surely even they are capable of understanding this!
Many people who are caught up by this fascist, police-state tactic are simply passers-by who are wholly unconnected with the protests.
This is a vile tactic and if I were caught up in it it would make me want to be violent and attack the police, so it is completely counter-productive, as well as being an abuse of power. The police who use this tactic are SCUM.
Sadly the British courts can no longer be trusted as upholders of our freedoms. They say that it is necessary for the police to 'control' people. NO IT ISN'T. Only fascists want to control people. I do not wish to be controlled - I want to be FREE.
As I said before, the police should merely monitor and, where necessary, arrest, but otherwise LEAVE WELL ALONE!
- Timon, London, 21/07/2009 00:57
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Seems to me that kettling works pretty well. In Italy they have a nasty habit of shooting protesters, whilst in other countries water cannon is the weapon of choice. When you look at the G20 protests, the reason that the damage was minimal was down to the fact that the police didn't give people the opportunity to engage in acts of vandalism. They did this with kettling.
The answer to this is easy. If you don't want to be held within a riotous crowd for several hours, don't go out with the intention of rioting. And if your stupid enough to ignore all the news reports and warnings beforehand as to what is going to happen, then you only have yourself to blame.
- Neil, London, 20/07/2009 16:29
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Well next time dear Lois and her chums decide to bring mayhem onto the streets, I hope that the police use water cannon instead.
- Carl, London, 20/07/2009 15:55
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11-month-old baby? So she put her baby into a crèche to go rioting/demonstrating?
Very responsible parent, so glad to see the future looking bright for Britain.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 20/07/2009 13:48
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If false imprisonment can be re-named "kettling", what shall we call some other proven means of crowd control such as "striking below the knee with a baton", or "flattening with a tank", or "puncturing with a bullet"?
- Bloke, London, 20/07/2009 12:45
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