Met police kettled pupils aged 11 during fee protests, court told

Young, who say they were detained for over six hours, take legal action in a court of high

Metropolitan Police unlawfully detaining children from 11 for six hours during a "boil" operation against demonstrators enrollment, the high court was told.

Three of those arrested last year are to challenge the decision of officials to detain youths, some wearing school uniforms -. Among the masses of demonstrators in Whitehall

The case focuses on the use of police tactics to prevent groups of people moving through the streets. Has been criticized for its indiscriminate punishment of all those present.

Lawyers for Adam Castillo, 16, his sister, Rosie 15 years, and Sam Eaton, 16, all from north London, claimed that the police operation was illegal because no plan had been prepared for release to address the presence of children.

CC Martin Westgate, counsel for the children, police said did not violate its obligations under Article 11 of the Children Act and their responsibilities to respect the rights of rights.

The children had, with the permission of their parents, joined the protest against National Student Walkout tuition rising, November 24.

"The complainants were completely innocent of any wrongdoing," said Westgate. "The other children were also prevented from leaving. A 11-year-old was told to "get back" at a relatively late stage in the containment. "

The "pot" operation started at 24:30 and children repeatedly showed up at the police lines that need to be let out. Oyster cards and offered further proof of age, but were not allowed to leave.

... "The kids were reasonably likely to be identified as non-violent participants," said Westgate. "There is no suggestion that a significant number of violent children."

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• records of the police operation has shown that officials feared that some protesters carried knives or, in one case, a firearm. "It seems that the release took over ... because the police wanted to get proof of these arrests," said Westgate. "This is not a legitimate use of coercion."
Children were among the 10 friends who have joined thousands of students, teachers and in Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament in March. Rosie was jailed for six hours and the boys, who were in court for seven hours.

Westgate said he accepted the decision to impose the boiler was legal because of fears of breach of the policy of peace was imminent, but added that the transaction became illegal due to the absence of a release plan communicated to frontline officers.

Lawyers for the Metropolitan Police argued that containment was not originally planned, we did not expect them to join the school and had planned to help vulnerable people caught in the demonstrations.

require police to record all possible consideration in preparation for large-scale operations would be a "futile exercise", police said. Two portable toilets were provided, but only five hours after the demonstrators had been written to

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