Guides on Policing and the Law for Campaigners Against Fracking
Netpol’s guidance for the anti-fracking movement has been created in response to specific requests by activists for support and advice. We have tried to respond to many of the most common questions from both participants in protectors camps and from local groups who are organising meetings and street stalls. Unfortunately, there is growing evidence that several police forces classify any form of organised opposition to extreme energy extraction as ‘suspect’.
Part 1 – Resisting Police Surveillance
Part 1 covers ways that anti-fracking campaigners can avoid and resist unwarranted and intimidating surveillance by the police. It covers two areas – organising online and organising public events. It includes sections on:
- Thinking about how your group communicates
- Thinking about how your campaign uses Facebook
- Sharing on Twitter, YouTube and Instagram
- Using Smartphones
- How to avoid incriminating others
- The law on prosecutions for material posted online
‘The Anti-Frackers Guide to Resisting Police Surveillance’ is available as a single guide (
, 2.6 Mb) or as the following fact sheets available both in web format and to download and print:
| 01 | Organising Online | 2.4 Mb |
Online |
| 02 | Organising Public Events | 3 Mb |
Online |
Part 2 – Understanding Laws Affecting Protesters
Part 2 covers is intended as a reference guide – it is not necessary for campaigners to know ever aspect of the law before taking part in protests.
However, campaign groups can help to ensure the safety of protesters when planning actions that might potentially lead to arrests or legal action by:
- Ensuring trained legal observers are present to monitor the conduct of the police and that ‘bust cards’ with reliable criminal solicitors’ contact numbers are distributed.
- Offering ‘Know Your Rights’ workshops for campaigners in your group
- Talking to an experienced civil lawyer if you are planning to occupy land, to ensure legal representation is ready and in place well before the arrival of a possession order or the threat of an injunction.
Contact Green & Black Cross Legal for support with legal observers and rights training.
Click here for details of civil solicitors firms and here for criminal law firms
‘The Anti-Frackers Guide to Understanding Laws Affecting Protesters’ is available as a single guide (, 4.5 Mb) or as the following fact sheets available both in web format and to download and print:
| 01 | Occupying Land | 2.4 Mb |
Online |
| 02 | Private Security | 2.4 Mb |
Online |
| 03 | Civil Trespass and Possession Orders | 2.4 Mb |
Online |
| 04 | Injunctions | 2.4 Mb |
Online |
| 05 | Common Criminal Offences | 2.4 Mb |
Online |
| 06 | Other Offences | 2.4 Mb |
Online |
| 07 | Sentencing on Conviction | 2.4 Mb |
Online |
Development of this guidance was made possible by the financial support of the Jospeh Rowntree Reform Trust and the Barry Amiel and Norman Melburn Trust
More on the policing of anti-fracking protests
- New Netpol film highlights police violence at Lancashire fracking site
- More aggression on frontline as Lancashire Chief Constable still refuses to meet campaigners
- Lancashire Police under fire as senior officers ignore violence against anti-fracking protesters
- Can protesters believe anything Sussex Police tells them?
- Campaigners lay down the gauntlet to Lancashire’s new Chief Constable
- Vigil to protest aggressive Lancashire protest policing
- Ten questions for Lancashire’s fracking ‘Silver’ Commander
- Police and fracking companies – STILL in each other’s pockets?
- Lancashire anti-frackers face uncertainty over increasingly aggressive police tactics
- Extraordinary judgment rubber-stamps unfounded link between anti-fracking and extremism