UK
Anderton Park Primary School protests: High Court awards interim injunction
The High Court has today (31 May 2019) granted Birmingham City Council an interim injunction to protect the area immediately surrounding Anderton Park Primary School.
The order protects the school from further protests of the kind that have been held in the street outside the school for the last few weeks.
Birmingham City Council decided to make this urgent application only after careful consideration and in the light of increasing fears for the safety and wellbeing of the staff, children and parents of the school when they come back from their half-term break. This is particularly so after the serious escalation of the protests in the week before half-term – including the attendance of very large numbers of people who have no children at the school, many of whom are not from the city.
This, together with the increasingly unacceptable behaviour of protesters who have disrupted and disturbed the running of the school and the children’s education, has led the council to conclude that the risk of harm to staff, parents and children has become too serious to tolerate.
Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “I’m pleased that common sense has prevailed because children right across Birmingham should be free to attend school safely and without disruption. All our schools must be safe spaces and we will not tolerate the ongoing intimidation of parents, hard-working school staff and local residents.
“This interim injunction has been secured in time for the return to school on Monday (3 June) and now hopefully the pupils will be able to continue their education in peace for the remainder of the summer term.
“We’ll continue to support the school and its staff and I would urge parents to take this opportunity to engage in constructive dialogue with the school about any concerns they may have.”
The case will be back in court on 10 June 2019 when the protesters will have the chance to put their case to a Judge. Until then, however, the order has effect in relation to all persons.
