ANTI-WAR campaigners won their own battle yesterday when the Procurator Fiscal dropped charges against North Edinburgh activist Willie Black.
Protesters celebrated outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court on the news that three charges of organising illegal protests had been dropped.
A victory for those campaigning to defend the Right to Protest.
Public viewing areas will be available along the Royal Mile in Edinburgh as part of events to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla on Wednesday 5 July.
Events will begin around lunchtime and will include:
There will be pavement space along the Royal Mile for people who wish to watch events in person. Those intending to come are advised to arrive early and prepare for changeable weather conditions.
Traffic restrictions and temporary road closures will be in place around the Royal Mile on the day of the events.
First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Next week Scotland will welcome the new King and Queen with a series of events to mark their Coronation. Highlights include a People’s Procession, a Royal Procession, a National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication, and a Gun Salute in Edinburgh.
“Many different people, charities and organisations from across the country will be involved. I will attend the Service at St Giles’ Cathedral and I look forward to representing the people of Scotland at this historic event.
“Any members of the public who wish to get involved will be able to follow TV or radio coverage, or view events in person along the Royal Mile. Space will be limited so those planning to come should arrive early and be prepared for whatever the weather may hold.”
King and Queen visit to Edinburgh July 2023: events – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Timings:
1315 People’s Procession departs Edinburgh Castle Esplanade
1330 People’s Procession arrives at St Giles’ Cathedral
1340 The Honours of Scotland leave Edinburgh Castle Esplanade under military escort
1340 Military pipe and drums bands and the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment move from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to West Parliament Square
1350 The Honours of Scotland arrive at West Parliament Square by vehicle
1405 Royal Procession leaves the Palace of Holyroodhouse
1410 Royal Procession arrives at St Giles’ Cathedral
1415 National Service of Thanksgiving and Dedication begins
1515 Service ends
1520 The King and Queen exit St Giles’ to Gun Salute from Edinburgh Castle
1527 Royal party arrive at Palace of Holyroodhouse
1540 RAF flypast down the Royal Mile
Engagement with protest groups is ongoing as part of preparations for a Coronation event being held in Edinburgh on Wednesday 5 July.
The event will take place during Royal Week where His Majesty King Charles III will be presented with the Honours of Scotland at a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Giles’ Cathedral, following processions on the Royal Mile.
Police Scotland has been working with a number of key planning partners including the Scottish Government, Palace of Holyroodhouse, transport agencies and City of Edinburgh Council.
Police Scotland’s supporting role is to help the organiser deliver their event safely and securely and with dignity. One part of that is considering potential protests and a proactive engagement approach.
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs, police lead for the event, said: “Our priority is public safety and a policing plan is in place to maintain people’s safety, ensure the safe delivery of this significant event, enable peaceful protest and minimise disruption.
“Decisions about how to police protests require us to balance complex and often competing rights and issues.
“We have a legal duty to protect the rights of people who wish to peacefully protest or counter-protest. Our human rights based approach and legislation that applies in Scotland is unique amongst UK policing.
“Campaigning and demonstration is a legitimate, necessary and vital part of life. Abusive, threatening behaviour or activity intended to disrupt the event that risks public safety is not legitimate protest.
“Officers on the ground have to make dynamic assessments to quickly consider whether someone’s behaviour breaches the threshold of criminality. There are a range of factors and circumstances that affect this decision making, including considering the risk that behaviour has on the safety of those at the event, as well as any triggers that may lead to wider disruption.
“Every situation is unique. Safety is our priority, balanced against people’s rights.”
There will be road closures in Edinburgh and people should plan ahead by checking with City of Edinburgh Council and Traffic Scotland on their website and social media channels. Air restrictions for drones will also be in place.
Protest groups can contact Police Scotland by emailing OSDPLO@scotland.police.uk
More information about the event can be found on the Scottish Government’s website: Scotland marks Coronation of The King and Queen – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
The Public Order Act 2023, which has recently been referred to in England and Wales, does not apply to Scotland.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is ‘backing the police’ to clamp down on highly disruptive and dangerous protests, under plans announced today.
Through an amendment tabled to the Public Order Bill, the Government will broaden the legal definition of ‘serious disruption’, giving police greater flexibility and clarity over when to intervene to stop the disruptive minority who use tactics such as blocking roads and slow marching to inflict misery on the public.
While the Government has already given police additional powers to prevent protestors using guerrilla tactics, police chiefs have told the Prime Minister that there is some uncertainty over what reaches the threshold of ‘serious disruption’.
The changes introduced today will give police officers absolute clarity over when they should step in. In practice, this will mean:
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “The right to protest is a fundamental principle of our democracy, but this is not absolute. A balance must be struck between the rights of individuals and the rights of the hard-working majority to go about their day-to-day business.
“We cannot have protests conducted by a small minority disrupting the lives of the ordinary public. It’s not acceptable and we’re going to bring it to an end.
“The police asked us for more clarity to crack down on these guerrilla tactics, and we have listened.”
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, Sir Mark Rowley said: “The Met has a long history of policing protests, responding quickly and effectively to incidents involving crime and where serious disruption is caused, often in challenging situations. We have specialist officers trained to deal with a range of tactics, but this is complex, time-consuming work.
“It is clearly understood that everybody has the right to protest. Increasingly however police are getting drawn into complex legal arguments about the balance between that right to protest and the rights of others to go about their daily lives free from serious disruption. The lack of clarity in the legislation and the increasing complexity of the case law is making this more difficult and more contested.
“It is for Parliament to decide the law, and along with other police chiefs, I made the case for a clearer legal framework in relation to protest, obstruction and public nuisance laws. We have not sought any new powers to curtail or constrain protest, but have asked for legal clarity about where the balance of rights should be struck.
“I welcome the government’s proposal to introduce a legal definition of “serious disruption” and “reasonable excuse”. In practical terms, Parliament providing such clarity will create a clearer line for the police to enforce when protests impact upon others who simply wish to go about their lawful business.”
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Public Order and Public Safety, Chief Constable BJ Harrington, said: ““We welcome the constructive conversations with government over more clearly defining serious disruption. This will support officers in confidently and quickly taking action and making arrests where appropriate.
“Policing is not anti-protest, but there is a difference between protest and criminal activism, and we are committed to responding quickly and effectively to activists who deliberately disrupt people’s lives through dangerous, reckless, and criminal acts.
“Police have a responsibility to appropriately balance the rights of the public who are going about their daily business lawfully and the rights of those protesting.”
The College of Policing have confirmed today that they will produce guidance outlining the additional powers given to officers over the last year.
National Highways is also reviewing its guidance, taking learnings from previous protests to ensure that roads are reopened as quickly as it is safe to do so.
Today’s announcement is the latest step in the UK Government’s continued commitment to tackle the highly disruptive protests that the British public have been increasingly subjected to over the last few years’.
Through the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, the Government introduced a statutory offence of public nuisance and created powers for the police to place conditions on unjustifiably noisy protests and increased the sentences for obstructing the highway.
Measures already announced in the Public Order Bill include creating a new criminal offence for interfering with key national infrastructure and for ‘locking-on’.
The Prime Minister also sat down with the Home Secretary and police chiefs in December to give a clear message that the Government expects protesters who disrupt the lives of others to be swiftly removed and arrested.
Responding to news that the Government have introduced an amendment to the Public Order Bill that will give police new powers to arrest protesters on the chance that they intend to cause serious disruption, Director of Liberty Martha Spurrier said: “Protest is a fundamental right, not a gift from the State. But our right to protest continues to be attacked by a Government determined to silence people and hide from accountability.
“These new proposals should be seen for what they are: a desperate attempt to shut down any route for ordinary people to make their voices heard. Allowing the police to shut down protests before any disruption has taken place simply on the off-chance that it might sets a dangerous precedent, not to mention making the job of officers policing protests much more complex.
“From championing refugee rights to raising the alarm on the cost-of-living crisis, striking for workers’ rights, and fighting for racial and climate justice, protest today remains a crucial way for people to hold the Government to account. This latest attack on our rights must be resisted.”
Children’s Commissioner Bruce Adamson is urging police to treat young people peacefully protesting at COP-26 with respect and dignity – and has reminded them that children’s rights must be upheld for everyone under 18.
To support this approach, the Commissioner’s office has published a human rights guide today ‘Under 18? Your Human Rights at Protests: What you need to know’ for children who plan to make their voices heard at the UN climate summit in Glasgow.
The guide has been used as part of Police Scotland’s training for COP-26 and was informed by children’s views and experiences.
Bruce Adamson, Children and Young People’s Commissioner said: “I have written to Police Scotland and have received strong commitments that they will facilitate peaceful protest with human rights at the heart of their approach, and it is important that this happens.
“Police officers have a duty to uphold children’s human rights during COP-26, which include the rights to peaceful assembly and association, alongside their rights to expression, participation, information and protection.”
Climate justice has been consistently raised by children and young people as one of their biggest human rights concerns.
Emma, 16, a Young Adviser to the Commissioner, said: “The right to protest is important as it gives people the opportunity to create change. It gives us a voice and the ability to hold institutions accountable for their actions.
“It is one of the only ways young people can be heard and immediately have a connection with one another, creating a sense of unity. It promotes equality and allows for individuals and groups views to have a chance to be recognised. The information in this guide about our rights to protest is really useful as we make our voices heard at COP-26 and beyond.”
The Commissioner added: “Children have shown incredible leadership on the issue of climate justice and continue to act as human rights defenders for everyone’s rights across Scotland and internationally.
“They have led powerful, peaceful movements in the streets, for example during school strikes, online, and in court. It is essential that children and young people are empowered to participate and engage in their right to peaceful protest.”
The Commissioner’s guide includes rights information and support, in the event of a child under 18 being arrested or detained by police.
Mr Adamson said: “Arresting a child should always be a measure of last resort, however, it may happen, and children need to know their rights if it does. We’ve included information about children’s rights to contact their family, social worker and to speak to a lawyer, to complain and to ask for release. Any child arrested or detained must be treated with human dignity and respect.”
The Commissioner repeated his call that no child should be punished for taking part in peaceful protests: “There must be no reprisals or sanctions for children who peacefully protest during COP-26 and schools should support children to participate in the opportunities that COP-26 affords them.”
