“The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) believes it is only right that police decisions are open to legal scrutiny and that we are accountable for our actions.
The judgment recognises the police concerns about the risk of a breach of peace due to protestors from the Royal Exchange trying to join the Bishopsgate demonstration. An earlier demonstration outside the Bank of England saw significant violence against police and damage caused to the Royal Bank of Scotland nearby.
We have rigorously defended the claims against the MPS because at the heart of this case lies a vital public order policing tactic that prevents disorder and protects the public.
It should be noted that the judgment relates to the individual circumstances of 1 April 2009 and not the use of containment at other events. Where necessary we will continue to use containment as a last resort to prevent serious disorder and violence.
However, we believe that this issue is so important for the police's ability to prevent disorder within protest that we will be appealing the Administrative Court's finding that the containment and pushing operations on the 1 April 2009 in Bishopsgate were not lawful.
The MPS believes that the Bishopsgate containment prevented further scenes of violence and criminal damage occurring on 1 April 2009.”
***Published unedited.