I wonder if the same ruling would happen in China.....Any comments?
LONDON, May 3 (Reuters) - London's Metropolitan police force "acted unlawfully" against demonstrators protesting at Chinese President Jiang Zemin's state visit to Britain last October, Britain's High Court ruled on Wednesday.
The court, which had been asked to give a judicial review of police and authorities' actions during the protests, said officers had unlawfully confiscated banners and protest flags.
The judge said there was still a substantial dispute over the facts of what had occurred, but he said the police were prepared to agree to the court's declaration.
The Free Tibet campaign, which brought the High Court action, said the ruling was a "victory for the democratic right to peaceful protest" in Britain.
Queen Elizabeth, British government ministers and business chiefs welcomed the Chinese leader with great ceremony.
In contrast, hundreds of protesters calling for change in China's policies on human rights and Tibet turned out to line the streets during the five-day visit.
Security was extra-tight throughout, with police accused of using heavy-handed tactics against peaceful demonstrators.
Police behaviour as Jiang drove in a carriage with Queen Elizabeth down London's Mall towards Buckingham Palace was particularly obtrusive.
Protesters with Tibetan flags and pro-democracy banners had them confiscated before the royal carriage approached and many wearing pro-Tibet T-shirts were moved away from the route.
Three people were arrested in the Mall, one for throwing confetti.
"The police have now admitted that their methods of policing were illegal," said Free Tibet campaign director Alison Reynolds.
"This is a victory for the democratic right to peaceful protest in this country, something sadly lacking in Chinese-occupied Tibet."
British Home Secretary (interior minister) Jack Straw was forced onto the defensive after Jiang's visit when a committee accused the capital's police of colluding with Chinese officials to halt embarrassing human rights demonstrations.
Straw, who has overall responsibility for British police, backed the London force's handling of the visit and dismissed accusations of heavy-handed tactics to quash peaceful protests.
But Britain's opposition Conservatives said the government, not the police, were to blame for the authorities' actions.
"It has been clear all along that the Foreign Office's first priority was to prevent the Chinese president being embarrassed," Conservative foreign affairs spokesman Francis Maude said in a statement.
"The blame for the handling of the Chinese state visit lies firmly with the government."
At the time of the visit, Jiang's spokesman said that "some of these interruptions should have been avoided" but added that the Chinese delegation had paid no attention to "small noises on the street". |
