All democratic societies embrace the right to peaceful protest and our country is no exception. It is perfectly legal for people to gather and express their views as long as they are not breaking any law(s). For example, if the gathering descends into a situation where the rights of others are being infringed upon, then law enforcement have powers to intervene.
Criminal versus civil matter
When protesters are standing on your land, they are not committing a criminal offence. It is considered to be a civil matter. This means that the police cannot intervene as their powers apply to breaches of criminal law. However, as a landowner, you are entitled to eject trespassers from your land as long as you are using no more than reasonable force. We would recommend referring to our recent article on the matter to ensure you stay safe and act within the law.
How to avoid bad press when protesters are on your land
As a landowner, having your property or you personally be the subject of negative news stories is never a nice thing. How you handle the protesters will go a long way in determining whether you feature on prime-time news or trend for some time on social media.
The most important thing is not to let the situation escalate. Our advice would always be to get in touch with an enforcement agency who has experience in the removal of protestors & activists. This will save the situation from descending into chaos or attracting even more unwanted attention.
Bottom line
Most of the protests that escalate into chaos or even violence are the ones that were not handled in the right manner. Handling a group of people not only requires a level of skill but also respect for their rights. Let our experienced team help you deal with the protestor removal. Call us on 0345 366 0000 or fill out our contact form.
