On Saturday fifth October 2013 protesters marched from the Previous Bailey to the Royal Courts of Justice in a protest towards proposed cuts to Authorized Support. They accused Justice Secretary Chris Grayling of perverting the course of justice by these cuts and held a trial blocking the Strand exterior the courts which discovered him responsible.
Grayling’s cuts imply that justice has develop into largely solely obtainable to the very wealthy, with one regulation for the wealthy and one other for the poor.
Authorized Support enabled individuals with out private fortunes to combat unjust arrests, to problem incorrect selections by councils and rather more. It was by no means an ideal system, however did at the least present some justice for these with out big incomes, which has now in lots of instances disappeared.
To say authorized assist you will need to move two assessments. The primary is likely one of the ‘Pursuits of Justice‘, which largely restricts authorized assist to these with prices towards them which might end result of their being despatched to jail.
The second check is a way check. In case you are on advantages resembling earnings assist you’re more likely to qualify, however in case you or your associate have a joint earnings of over £21,000 you’re unlikely to qualify. And in case you are single the earnings restrict is simply over half that. These limits are significantly lower than earnings of individuals in full-time employment on the present minimal wage.
The English authorized system has developed via years of custom and restrictive practices right into a extremely inefficient and costly degree with solely the wealthiest capable of afford most of the extra extremely certified and skilled to argue their case. It has lengthy been extremely stacked towards all these unable to afford the most costly attorneys, although there have all the time been some distinguished figures able to combat for some underdogs, at occasions with out cost, as a matter of precept.
However there are nonetheless nice areas the place solely the very rich can afford the regulation, and solely the very wealthy are capable of defend the case. Journalists could discover themselves gagged, small companies could also be pressured to desist as a result of they don’t have the assets to combat, regardless that they might have a wonderful case. Our legal guidelines, largely enacted to guard the rights of the ruling class, have all the time favoured the pursuits of the rich.
The march gathered exterior the Previous Bailey, nevertheless it quickly turned clear that we had been heading for the Royal Courts of Justice, although maybe it was this slight subterfuge that enabled some protesters, headed by wheelchair customers from DPAC (Disabled Folks In opposition to Cuts) to dam the street in entrance of the Royal Courts of Justice shortly earlier than the principle march arrived to hitch them.
Police shortly arrived to attempt to persuade the protesters to clear the street, however they weren’t shifting, and after a couple of minutes started a mock trial of Chris Grayling, current as a person in a masks of his face with a dock round his waist.
The proof was offered and witnesses cross-examined by wigged protesters earlier than the bigger than standard jury of protesters was invited to offer its verdict. Unanimously they discovered Grayling responsible and the time got here for his sentence was pronounced. There gave the impression to be no settlement a couple of suitably extreme punishment, with most of these instructed now not being obtainable below UK regulation. The prisoner was led away (although sadly solely to the pub reverse moderately than jail) and the protest continued noisily, nonetheless blocking the street.
Police had been harassing protesters all through, making an attempt to get them to clear the street, and threatening arrest, although I believe most individuals simply moved to a different a part of the protest to keep away from this. That they had managed to clear one carriageway, however had been nonetheless blocking this with a police van. Finally DPAC got here to a call that the protest had been profitable and it was time to carry it to an finish. They informed the police they might keep for one more 5 minutes, and on the finish of this did so triumphantly.
Extra concerning the protest and lots of extra footage at UK Uncut Street Block for Authorized Support.
Tags: Chris Grayling, cuts, Disabled Folks In opposition to Cuts, DPAC, justice for all, Justice Secretary, authorized assist, authorized assist cuts, London, march, Previous Bailey, one regulation for the wealthy, peter Marshall, police, protest, street block, Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, trial, UK Uncut, wheelchair customers, wheelchairs
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