The detention of the claimants for several hours in a police cordon with thousands of other people had been a deprivation of their liberty in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights 1950 Art.5(1) but was justified as there had been a conditional intention to arrest those whom it was lawful and practicable to arrest. The detention had also amounted to false imprisonment but it had been necessary for the protection of everyone to detain the crowd until dispersal could be arranged safely.

[2005] EWHC 480 (QB)