Organisers found guilty over January 2025 protest breaches

Two leading protest organisers have been convicted for breaching Public Order Act conditions, with one also convicted for inciting others to do the same.

Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham, of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign and the Stop the War Coalition respectively, stood trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court last month.

Both men were accused of breaching conditions imposed ahead of a protest on 18 January 2025. Jamal was also accused of inciting others to breach the conditions.

On Wednesday, 1 April they were found guilty on all counts.

Jamal received an 18 month conditional discharge while Nineham received a 12 month conditional discharge. Both men were ordered to pay £7,500 in prosecution costs.

A Met Police spokesperson said: “Parliament has determined that the police should have the power to impose conditions on assemblies and marches to ensure the right to protest can be balanced against the rights of others to go about their lives without serious disruption.

“Where people who ought to have known about conditions in place choose to breach them, or choose to incite others to do so, it is important that there are consequences.

“On this occasion it was the two lead protest organisers – Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham – who led a march to the top of Whitehall and around Trafalgar Square in the hope of reaching the BBC. They knew, because they had been in touch with officers all week and because the conditions had been clearly communicated in advance, that their protest was not permitted to leave Whitehall.

“In doing so they both breached the conditions, with Ben Jamal also taking to the stage and inciting others to do the same.

“In reaching guilty verdicts on all counts, the court has determined that their actions on that day were unlawful.

“We hope the verdicts encourage all protest organisers, no matter their cause, to understand the importance of cooperating with officers and complying with the lawful decisions they make.

“Where this doesn’t happen, we will use the powers available to us to take the appropriate legal action.”