Know Your Rights

Know Your Rights

Our resource book contains information about possible offences used to suppress protest against the Arms Fair.

Green and Black Cross (GBC) and Activist Court Aid Brigade (ACAB) together provide legal support for activists. Both groups will work with STAF to provide this support at DSEI 2027. 

GBC and ACAB carry out a number of activities:

• Provide legal observers at actions, whose role is to watch the police, provide information to activists, report any arrests to the ‘back office’ to engage police station support
• Distribute printed ‘bust cards’ which contain basic advice and information about your rights at protest, give details of solicitors who provide good legal representation at police stations and for people charged and taken to court, contact details including the protest support line number (07946 541 511)
• Run training sessions: ‘Know Your Rights’ for activists; training to become a Legal Observer
• Offer direct support for arrestees, for example meetings with arrestees and solicitors and one to one support
• Court support – ACAB will go to court hearings with people who have been charged with offences
• Operate an informative web site at www.greenandblackcross.org

GBC and ACAB have direct communication with solicitors who regularly represent activists.

All the people in GBC and ACAB are volunteers, most of whom are not legal professionals.

Green and Black Cross’s five key pieces of advice on protests.

1. No Comment

You do not need to answer police questions, so don’t.

This is for your own protection and for the protection of others. This applies on demonstrations, during Stop and Search procedures and during arrest. This includes your visa status.

The police will try to pressure and deceive you into incriminating yourself and other people. Instead of trying to decide when it seems ‘safe’ to answer, just say “No comment” to all questions – out on a demo, during ‘informal chats’, in the police van and especially in interview.

If arrested, and your friend in the next cell knows you aren’t going to talk, they will feel better able not to talk themselves. Remember, interviews only help the police – they will not interview you if they already have enough evidence to charge you.

A good solicitor will sometimes suggest that you make a prepared statement in interview. In that case, you or your solicitor will read the statement and you should answer “No comment” to any more questions.

For a longer discussion, the booklet “NO COMMENT” that was produced by the now defunct Legal Defence and Monitoring Group is excellent.

2. No Personal Details

You do not have to give personal details under ANY stop and search power, so don’t.

On protests, the police often use searches as a way of finding out who is present, both for intelligence purposes and to intimidate you.

Police also use arrest as a means of gathering information, particularly when they arrest a large number of people together (a “mass arrest”).

You do NOT have to give your personal details to the police at any point during the arrest process. In fact, you are not legally required to give any personal information until you appear in court.

3. Under What Power?

Ask “Under what power?” to challenge the police to act lawfully

Some police officers rely on you not knowing the law. If you are asked to do something by a police officer, ask them what power (i.e. what law) they are using and why they are using it. Make a note of what was said, by whom (numbers) as soon as possible afterwards.

Don’t let them turn this into a situation where they ask you questions though – just walk away once you have your answer, and remember: No Comment!

4. No Duty Solicitor

If you are arrested, use a recommended solicitor with protest experience

The “duty solicitor” is the solicitor who is present at the police station. They may come from any firm of solicitors, which means they almost certainly know nothing about protest.

Duty solicitors often give bad advice to protesters; we recommend you always use a good solicitor who knows about protest.

5. No Caution

Cautions are an admission of guilt

Offering you a caution is a way the police may ask you to admit guilt for an offence without having to charge you. It is an easy win for the police, as they don’t have to provide any evidence or convince a court of your guilt.

At the very least, you should never accept a caution without taking advice from a good solicitor.

You can find more detailed explanations of this advice on the Green and Black Cross website.

Stop The Arms Fair Bustcard

Green and Black Cross have produced a special bustcard – a card to carry on you during the week of action, providing you with their key advice, information on stop and search and arrest, and the names and numbers of solicitors who can help you for the week of action to #stopDSEI, including a dedicated email contact dsei@riseup.net. Download a printable version from their website, or make sure to pick one up from the welcome tent or a Legal Observer as soon as you arrive on site.