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1. Introduction
This guide is intended to provide advice to activists in dealing with some of
the more common pieces of law, which you are likely to encounter during the
course of protests. It does not deal with every possible law you might encounter
but instead focuses mainly on police powers to control public order and how
these can be challenged.
This is the third edition we have made of this guide and now takes in to account
the new changes to the law under the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act
2003 and the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003. These give substantially new powers
to the police in relation to public order law and to police powers of arrest,
detention and bail as well as their new powers to take and retain fingerprints
and DNA. This edition also takes account of new rulings in the High Court on
the application of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 and police powers
to detain for breach of the peace.
The advice contained in this booklet is correct to our knowledge as of November
2003. Nothing is this booklet is intended to encourage you to break the law.
Please seek further legal advice before acting on the contents of this guide.
It is not guaranteed in any way, and is not a substitute for proper legal advice.
Any queries please visit:
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