Corona virus law challenged
Being in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)
Articles 10 and 11 Prosecution withdraw case (R v S 2021)
Corona virus law challenged
Breach of Corona Virus Regulations by organising demonstrations in a lockdown. This was a high profile case that received a lot of press coverage as the defendant was said to be the leader of the ‘Unite the North’ group. The demonstration in Bradford resulted in a serious disorder and numerous officers being injured.
The defendant was said to be the head of the ‘Unite the North’ group who organised various demonstrations across the country, against ‘Covid Lockdowns’. The defendant did not deny attending the demonstration in Bradford City Centre and in fact had assisted the police prior to the demonstration so the police were aware of the demonstration but he did not accept being the organiser. The defendant argued that the right to protest was a fundamental right and a cornerstone of the rights we enjoy. The defendant had been arrested and charged. The defendants case was listed for legal arguments and trial.
Harewood Law prepared a substantial legal argument on the basis that the original regulations were in breach of the fundamental rights enshrined under the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) specifically Article 10 which allows for the Freedom of Expression and Article 11 which allows for the Freedom of Assembly and Association. It was further argued that the regulations had been passed quickly without a thorough consideration of the practical impact which resulted in the erosion of the right to protest. Another factor was the confused application of the regulations by police forces across the country which made the application of the law inconsistent. On the day the legal argument was listed at court the prosecution discontinued the case. The defendant paid tribute to his legal team.
National news coverage of the cases can be seen here:
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