Well, it turns out Occupy Cardiff was forcibly shut down (on the first day) by the police after I had left due to family obligations. Tents and people's personal effects were seized and six people were arrested for sitting on some grass and having a chat. Apparently the charges for the arrests were "failing to adhere to a direction to leave land when ordered to do so" which is hardly lawful justification for arrest.
The arrests were carried out under
Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. This act specifies that the following criteria must be met before it can be enacted:
(1) “That two or more persons are trespassing on the land and (2) they are present there with the common purpose of residing there for any period.” However, before this direction can be issued, the officer must (3) ensure that reasonable steps have been taken by or on behalf of the landowner/occupier to ask them to leave and (4) either :
That any of the persons have caused damage to the land or property or used threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour towards the occupier or his family/agents.Note that the primary criteria for a section 61CJA is that the persons must be trespassing. The very nature of publicly owned land is that it cannot be trespassed upon.
Therefore, the arrests were unlawful. The eviction was unlawful because it violated Section 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights (Freedom of Assembly) and none of the conditions that would permit police to forcibly evict protesters applied.
Discussions are in progress over how to continue the protest.
Protesters being all evil towards the beginning of the day.Video of eviction, although the commentator seems to be attempting to make the police come as across as more violent than they are being. Very forcible and definitely illegal, not necessarily violent IMO.
Also;
http://zunguzungu.wordpress.com/2011/11/11/the-grass-is-closed-what-i-have-learned-about-power-from-the-police-chancellor-birgeneau-and-occupy-cal/ is a bloody good read and makes quite a few pretty valid points in my opinion.