The information on these pages is intended as a guide for people planning direct action that might get them into legal problems. It was originally prepared for a legal workshop for Cambridge Anti-Capitalist Action and most of the documents are in PDF form so you can print them for a workshop (I've provided links to the web pages they came from as well to make them easier to read online). It has been collated and a bit of it written by Andy Smith (ams70@cam.ac.uk). If anyone has any suggestions for additions, improvements or corrections, please email me.
Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. Please don't treat this as sound legal advice. If you're planning on doing something that might get you arrested or charged, it's probably best to research the laws that you think you might be breaking in more depth — this page is intended more as a general guide to relevant law so you know what to look for. Some of the material in the hand-outs was written by lawyers, but it's still probably best not to take that as your only legal advice. Also, please don't take this as an incitement to commit criminal offences.
General guides
Notes for a legal workshop (meant to be used in conjunction with printouts of some of the stuff below):
Other general information:
Preparing for actions
Laws that might be used against you
- A guide to possible offences (source: Activists' Legal Project — web version)
- The Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (source: Freedom Network — web version)
- Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 (source: Raif Smyth — web version)
"Anti-terrorism" legislation
It would be nice to think you'd only have to worry about "anti-terrorism" legislation if you were planning on carrying out terrorism. Unfortunately that isn't true, the definition of terrorism in the Terrorism Act 2000 could cover some forms of non-violent direct action. So far "anti-terrorist" powers have not often been used against non-violent activists, except those protesting in solidarity with banned groups, but the possibility exists and it's something activists should be aware of (as well as something to protest against in its own right).
- An activist's guide to the Terrorism Act 2000 (source: CATA — web version)
- The real state of emergency: briefing on the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 (source: CATA — web version)
On and after arrest
- No Comment: the defendant's guide to arrest (source: London Anarchist Black Cross)
- The arrest process and your rights (source: Activists' Legal Project — web version)
- Getting the best defence you can from a solicitor (source: Brighton Anarchist Black Cross)
Links
- Activists' Legal Project — briefings and legal support.
- Legal Defence and Monitoring Group — legal observers and advisers at demonstrations and actions.
- Urban75 legal information — arrest, the Criminal Justice Act, drugs, raves, Job Seekers' Allowance, road protests, squatting.
- SchNEWS DIY guide — legal and other aspects of direct action