A judge found police actions in the arrest of protester Despine Green to be oppressive and unconstitutional. Green, arrested for antisemitic chanting linked to Palestinian self-determination, underwent extensive procedures without an inquiry into the alleged remarks. Judge Jonathan Owen ruled the arrest unlawful, emphasizing the failure of officers to objectively assess the situation. He ordered Nottinghamshire police to pay £24,000 in damages to Green, including punitive damages, indicating systemic issues in the handling of complaints by police officers, who acted without independent judgment.
The essential problem, in this case, in my judgment, is that PC [David] Hawkins simply took and applied the label which had been applied towards the claimant's alleged conduct (antisemitic') without ascertaining any of the necessary underlying facts which demonstrate, on an objective and dispassionate basis, that such conduct was in fact antisemitic.
He found that the arrest and handcuffing of Green was unlawful and ordered the chief constable of Nottinghamshire police to pay them £24,000 in damages, including £15,000 in punitive damages.
Judge Jonathan Owen stated that it was wrong for police not to establish the facts and then apply objective analysis to them before arresting Green.
The defendants' officers acted in an oppressive and unconstitutional manner, suggesting a failure to exercise independent judgment when addressing complaints.
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