The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Disruption of Shoots by Demonstrators

"On private land it is a criminal offence (aggravated trespass) to obstruct or disrupt anyone pursuing a lawful activity. It is also an offence to intimidate someone so as to deter them from taking part in that activity. Blocking an access road, walking in front of the guns, threatening or attacking the guns can all be criminal offences.

The police have the power, in most circumstances, to arrest anyone committing a criminal offence.

Trespass itself (being on land without permission) is a civil offence. The police have no power to act. A landowner or his agent may ask trepassers to leave, and subsequently may use “reasonable force” to remove them. “Reasonable force” can be interpreted in many ways by the courts, and the use of force could leave you open to prosecution. The police are only likely to intervene in removing trespassers to prevent a breach of the peace"


http://www.basc.org.uk//en/codes-of-pra ... rators.cfm

It is normally accepted that taking a person by the arm to escort them from premises is reasonable. I would suggest that if Police are in attendance, should you do this and you get any kind of resistance that you let go and hand it over to the Police.

Clearly, you would make safe any firearm and secure it before doing so. Although there is no written requirement for you to put your firearms away when ever such a situation arises, I personally suggest that it would be a good practise. At the end of the day your shooting has been interrupted for the foreseeable future so there is no need to be holding them. As these confrontations are often heated - and videoed by the antis (you can video as well) the Police will possibly be more concerned by the legally held firearms than the antis and most people would not blame them.

As the summer holidays are now upon us and the students have nothing else to do, these situations can arise, I hope that they don't and that you all can go about your lawful activities un bothered,

DM