UK: Mike Buchanan to plead ‘Not Guilty’ to the charge of obstructing the highway – Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court, 12 October

Submitted by Matt on Fri, 2016-09-23 02:07

Article here. Excerpt:

'I spent most of today in Westminster Magistrates’ Court. Last Saturday I received a summons to appear in the court at 09:30 today – giving me just two working days to obtain legal advice – in connection with my alleged obstruction of the highway during our anti-MGM protest in Parliament Square on 1 June. A video (14:52) is here, my arrest by a (Kiwi) policeman takes place soon after 13:30.

I registered my presence with the relevant person, and it was immediately clear something was amiss. At 11:30 – two hours after my arrival – I was informed the police / CPS hadn’t submitted any papers. Responding with lightning speed, at 15:30 the papers were made available, and I duly explained I’d be pleading ‘Not Guilty’ at the trial, and went through some tedious related form-filling.

Starting at 16:00 I spent some 10 minutes with the magistrate, the CPS prosecutor, and a legal expert. It surely goes without saying that no apology was forthcoming from the CPS for wasting most of my day.'

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