`Kettling` tactics ruled lawful

Containment tactics used by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) to control crowds during an anti-globalisation demonstration more than 10 years ago has been ruled lawful.

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled today that ‘kettling’ methods, in which police blocked off Oxford Circus and corralled those inside for seven hours, used on May 1, 2001, in London were lawful.

The ECHR said there had been no violation of Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights after three people who had not taken part in the demonstration, took the case to Europe claiming they were “deprived of their liberty”. Lois Austin, from Essex, who had been taking part in the protest also took the case to court.

However, the ECHR said officers had imposed the cordon to isolate and contain a large crowd in dangerous and volatile conditions, and that this method had been the least intrusive and most effective means to protect the public.

It concluded: “The police had reasonable grounds to believe that there was a real risk of damage to property, serious physical injury and even death. The main risks were from crushing and trampling, but there were also risks from missile throwing.

“Given the situation at Oxford Circus, if they were to prevent violence and injury, the police had no alternative at 2 pm but to impose an absolute cordon and this was, therefore, a proportionate response by the police to the presence of the crowd.”

The ruling added that the principal purpose of the containment was to ensure the safety of persons, including those within the cordon; the preservation of property in Oxford Street; and the protection of other rights of third parties.