What Are Legal Observers?

Legal Observers are volunteers who observe, monitor and record the actions of the police, details of arrestees, etc. They do not participate directly in the actions themselves

You do not need any specialist knowledge to be a legal observer. Our observers will all operate under the principles below.

Principles

Our legal observers will operate under the following principles:

We give unconditional support to anyone arrested as a result

1. We give unconditional support to anyone arrested as a result of participation in protests or actions against the G8. We are not the judge and jury of the validity or otherwise of the tactics of protesters.

2. The role of legal observers is to observe, gather evidence and witnesses.

3. Legal observers will not mediate between protesters and the police or negotiate with the police.

4. Legal observers are volunteers with no special legal status.

5. Legal observers are not necessarily trained lawyers and the advice given by legal observers is confined to the advice given by the group as a whole.