PERVERSE VERDICTS

It seems that especially since October 7th 2023 the term "public order" has been re-defined by police especially in London.  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has taken a Humpty Dumpty attitude to expressions of public hate insofar as HD`s definition was that words mean what I want them to mean.  This approach to the policing of demonstrations large or small has infiltrated the minds of those mainly on the socialist so called "progressive" Left who are assembling at the drop of a hat to make felt their opinions on an ever increasing range of topics which they think that they and only they have the right to impose upon the public all manner of interference in their daily lives.  

Perhaps one of the first such demonstrations which was arguably aimed at government and not public opinion was that at Greenham Common between 1981 and 1992 when a group of women formed a 24 hours a day seven days a week permanent camp to protest at nuclear weapons being stored at the site in Berkshire on instant alert to be used by U.S. aircraft to bomb Russia if the "need" arose.  From tree huggers to road blockers via climate change fanatics, trans fascists and Black Lives Matter reparation seekers the elasticity  of the legal right to protest and the public`s right to go about its lawful business unimpaired has become increasingly stretched.  The bitter hatred of the politics being exposed by that massacre on October 7th has taken the antipathy to law and disorder a further anarchic step first posted here on 19th December 2023.    In simple terms in view of the protesters but a minefield for legal big wigs campaigns are being organised to allow jurors to disregard judges` directions that verdicts should be based purely on the evidence presented at trial and that the opinions or consciences of jurors should not override that prime consideration.  Events in Salisbury and Bristol appear to be following previous methods of protest. 

As a retired member of the lowest level of the judiciary I can, like everyone else, have an opinion and enjoy debate over a pint were I so inclined.  But for those at the top table this is a matter of fundamental constitutional importance.  With racists in the guise of "progressives" absorbing Islamo-Marxist inspired "anti Zionism" to avoid in their minds expressing hatred of Jews and justifying acquittal of criminal damage, breach of the peace and/or affray, BLM supporters defacing  statues and artworks and others similarly using climate change in their defence of public order charges the debate and conclusions on perverse verdicts has a long way to run.