Justification Defences: Direct action and freedom of expression

Tuesday 30 June 2020

Webinar, Zoom

Garden Court Chambers welcomes you to a series of webinars on protest rights brought to you by protest law barristers from our crime and civil liberties teams.

Please click on this link to download the presentation slides.

Date:Tuesday 30 June 2020
Time:12.30pm-1:45pm
Venue:Zoom
Cost:Free
Areas of Law:Civil Liberties and Human Rights, Criminal Defence, Protest Rights

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Acts of civil disobedience by protesters actions are often morally justified. This webinar looked at legal defences rooted in the idea that the actions taken by demonstrators are justified in law either as direct action to prevent a greater harm or as an act of freedom of expression. We examined elements of the defences of Necessity, Prevention of Crime and Protecting Property, looking at their limitations and scope for development.

The webinar examined how the courts should give proper weight to the right to protest within a criminal trial looking at the development of the domestic case law from James v DPP to DPP v Ziegler and onwards, as well as relevant ECHR authorities.

It was part of a series of webinars on protest law. See here.

Speakers

Henry Blaxland QC, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Call: 1978) (Silk: 2002) (Chair)
Owen Greenhall, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Call: 2010)
Shahida Begum, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Call: 2008)
Shina Animashaun, Barrister, Garden Court Chambers (Call: 2010)

Recording

Please see a recording of the webinar below.

Webinars in this series:

Protest, Pandemic and Proportionality (held on 16 June 2020)
Know your rights: Kettles and facial recognition (23 June 2020)
Trial Issues in Protest Cases (7 July 2020)
Protest Injunctions and Contempt of Court (14 July 2020)

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