Written By Jack J Collins, Editor, AllAboutLaw.co.uk

‘Offensive Banner’ student is cleared

Written By Jack J Collins, Editor, AllAboutLaw.co.uk

The prosecution have dropped the case against Adam Barr, a student who was arrested for holding a banner depicting David Cameron, Nick Clegg, Ed Miliband and Nigel Farage above an offensive slogan.

The slogan, which referred to the four politicians as “All F**king W**kers”, had landed the student in court, as he was charged under section five of the 1986 Public Order Act, which bans the use of offensive banners.

Barr was arrested and detained after attending a protest in East London, against developers building ‘poor doors’ for underprivileged tenants in luxury housing complexes near to the City; when a primary school teacher complained to the police about the abusive language on his banner.

Barr stated that: “An officer told me it was a breach of the Public Order Act and that he had received a complaint. The other people holding the banner dropped it. I didn’t believe it was illegal. I was making a political point. It may have been crude, but it was also meant to be humorous.”

After being arrested and taken to Bethnal Green police station, Barr was detained for four hours. He refused to take the £90 penalty notice which was given to him, instead insisting on going to court, where he pleaded not guilty.

Barr’s lawyer Simon Natas, of ITN Solicitors, commented to the Guardian that: “Freedom of speech is the lifeblood of democracy and is protected by the law, even when some might find the language used offensive. My client should not have been arrested for exercising his right to free speech and he should certainly never have been prosecuted.”

Barr expressed his relief that the case had been discontinued, and his amazement that the process had even reached this point without someone realising it was a breach of his right to freedom of speech.

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