Statement condemning the arrest of barrister, trade unionist and Haldane Executive Committee member Franck Magennis

The Haldane Society condemns in the strongest possible terms the Metropolitan Police’s conduct in arresting Franck Magennis while he was taking part in lawful industrial action alongside striking workers. A barrister and trade unionist currently seconded to the independent trade union United Voices of the Union (‘UVW’), Mr Magennis also sits on the Society’s Executive Committee. His arrest constitutes a flagrant and unlawful attack on the workers’ movement, the right to strike, and the right to liberty.

Mr Magennis was arrested on a picket line at St. George’s, University of London, during an industrial dispute over the role of outsourcing at the university. UVW, who organised the industrial action, has said that the arrest marks a potential watershed in industrial relations and could set a dangerous precedent for the erosion of civil liberties and workers’ rights if left unchallenged. The incident, which took place shortly after 9am, saw 12 police officers arrive at the university after being called by management to dispel workers and trade union officials from a lawful picket. In a series of highly irregular events that has seen the Metropolitan Police become the subject of legal action, police officers swiftly issued workers and union officials with a letter from the University claiming that the picket needed to take place outside of NHS property. Several police officers then warned all workers and union officials that they would be arrested if they failed to leave the property within five minutes.

When Mr Magennis inquired into the legal basis of the warning, he was swiftly arrested and handcuffed, and subsequently de-arrested and released less than five minutes later on the condition that he immediately leave the site. The incident appears to represent an attempt by the Metropolitan Police to use criminal sanctions to frustrate lawful industrial action. Upon his release, Mr Magennis said:

“If my false imprisonment goes unchallenged, that would allow the Metropolitan Police to criminalise what is lawful civil activity, and would have a chilling effect on workers’ ability to stand up to bosses and exercise their civil liberties. Anyone concerned with a worker’s right to take industrial action, and with a citizen’s right not to be arbitrarily arrested, should be seriously concerned about the way the police have acted today. Workers should be allowed to go on strike without being threatened with arrest. This is an outrage.”

After being instructed by Mr Magennis to pursue legal action against the Metropolitan Police, Susie Labinjoh, of Hodge Jones & Allen solicitors said, “clearly important constitutional issues are raised by Mr Magennis’ arrest. We will be looking at all legal avenues to ensure that the police are held to account, that trade union members are not criminalised for going on strike, and that people are not arbitrarily arrested.”

The Haldane Society calls on all trade unionists, lawyers and concerned activists to support UVW members in their struggle to ensure that this blatant abuse of the law does not become a precedent by which workers are prevented from taking industrial action and exercising their basic human rights.