Liberty Triumphs: Court Blocks Expanded Police Powers on Protests

London's Court of Appeal rejected a government attempt to widen police authority over protests, marking a major civil rights victory. Liberty, the group's leading the challenge, argued these powers were unlawful. The decision underscores the tension between public order and democratic freedom.

In a landmark decision, London's Court of Appeal struck down a government initiative aimed at expanding police powers to control protests. The move, initially introduced by the previous Conservative government, was successfully contested by civil rights group Liberty, which argued that the changes to public order laws were unlawful.

The Home Office's appeal against the earlier High Court ruling was also rejected, reinforcing that ministers had overstepped their authority by modifying the legal threshold for police to impose protest conditions. The case spotlighted the contentious Public Order Act, central to which were protests deemed capable of causing disruption 'more than minor'.

Liberty emphasized the ruling as a democratic victory, calling on the government to eliminate the contentious legislation. The judgment arrives amid heightened scrutiny of police powers, illustrated by recent significant protests and the high-profile arrest of activist Greta Thunberg.