17/01/2005

Met sued over May Day detention in Oxford Circus

Two individuals held by the Metropolitan Police during a crowd control operation during the huge May Day protest against globalisation in 2001 are to take court action against their detention in 2001.

The two were caught up in the police action which saw a stand off develop between police and thousands of protestors held behind police lines in Oxford Circus for seven hours during the May Day anti-globalisation rally.

Ms Lois Austin and Mr Geoffrey Saxby are taking a test case to the High Court in a bid to seek a finding of wrongful detention by police.

Ms Austin, 35, claims she was unable to pick up her then 11-month-old daughter from a crèche and Mr Saxby claims that he was in the area in the course of business and was not involved in the protest. Both are claiming a lack of reasonable grounds for their detention in May 2001 and that it amounted to false imprisonment in breach of their human rights under Article 5 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

In an effort to control the massive anti-globalisation protest in London by a crowd estimated at around 10,000, police corralled the people in Oxford Circus for seven hours without toilet facilities. The people were eventually allowed to disperse in small groups.

Following the cessation of the protest Prime Minister Tony Blair congratulated the police on their handling of the protest.

The previous year's protest saw scenes of violence and vandalism on London Streets, incidents which police had been keen to prevent.

(SP)

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