100 people suing Met Police over protest arrests
The claimants were all detained by officers on Lambeth Bridge during a Critical Mass Cycle Ride organised by Extinction Rebellion in September 2020
One hundred people are suing the Metropolitan Police over their arrests during a climate protest in London, the High Court has heard.
The claimants were all detained by officers on Lambeth Bridge during a Critical Mass Cycle Ride organised by Extinction Rebellion on September 3 2020, after some of those involved in the event carried out a "lock-on" which blocked the bridge.
Barristers for the group stated that the hundred bringing legal action were positioned behind those who blocked the bridge, and that their claims include allegations of false imprisonment, assault, trespass, and breaches of their human rights.
The force is defending the legal action.
At a hearing in London on Friday, Judge Richard Armstrong ruled on several preliminary matters, with a further hearing due to be held at a later date.
Jude Bunting KC, for the claimants, told the court that during the event, six cyclists "unexpectedly locked themselves on to each other" at the north end of the bridge, which led to it becoming blocked.
After around 20 minutes, officers decided to block the south side of the bridge and arrest those who remained on it, which Mr Bunting said was "not proportionate or necessary".
Mr Bunting said: "Many of them were detained for a very long period of time, including some until the next day."
The barrister continued that a "key issue" in the case was whether the protesters were warned that they would be arrested if they remained on the bridge.
He said: "We say there were no warnings. The defendant says there were."
The Metropolitan Police said at the time of the protest that around 200 arrests were made in relation to it.
George Thomas KC, for the Metropolitan Police, said in written submissions for the hearing: "Most claimants were cyclists in the cycle ride, although there are a few claimants, such as members of a 'samba band', who joined on foot."
None of the protesters who locked on to the bridge are involved in the legal action, and none of the claimants attended Friday's hearing.