Top Shop Charge

6 December 2010, 07:38

Twenty-one people were arrested during Op Bydown, the policing operation in response to protests in Brighton on Saturday

Steven Luscombe, 20, address not given, was charged with failing to comply with a condition as a public assembly participant and detained in custody to appear before Brighton Magistrates on Monday (December 6).

Man, 24, Brighton, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass/Assault (Battery), Bailed January 7

Man, 28, Brighton, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass, Bailed January 10

Man, 26, Brighton, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass, Bailed January 8

Woman, 20, Brighton, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass, Bailed January 15

Woman, 25, Hove, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass, Bailed January 17

Woman, 19, Loughborough, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass, Bailed January 17

Man, 36, Brighton, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass, Bailed January 11

Woman, 20, Oxford, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass, Bailed January 11

Woman, 22, Brighton, Criminal Damage/Aggravated Trespass, Bailed January 11

Man, 19, Brighton, Section 14 Public Order Act, Bailed December 30

Woman, 22, Brighton, Section 14 Public Order Act, Bailed January 6

Man, 21, Mitcham, Section 14 Public Order Act, Bailed January 6

Woman, 22, No Fixed Abode, Section 14 Public Order Act, Bailed December 30

Man, 30, Hove, Section 5 Public Order Act, Bailed January 8

Woman, 21, Address not given, Assaulting Police, Bailed January 7

Man, 42, Brighton, Obstructing Police, Bailed December 30

Woman, 39, Brighton, Obstructing Police, Bailed January 6

Man, 65, Worthing, Obstructing Police, Cautioned

Man, 23, Forest Row, Possession of Bladed Article, Bailed January 7

Man, 18, Braintree, Failing to provide name and address. Released after providing on arrival at custody.

This is the statement Police issued on Saturday Evening

Eighteen people have been arrested during protests in Brighton as part of the 'National Day of Action Against Tax Avoiders'.

The arrests were made in and around Top Shop in Western Road as protestors made a move on the shop shortly after 12 noon on Saturday (December 4). Eight people gained entry and superglued themselves to the inside of the shop windows. They were all arrested for criminal damage and aggravated trespass; one was further arrested for assault on a member of the shop's staff. Nine other people were arrested outside for public order offences, a further one for possession of a bladed article.

Ch Supt Paul Morrison, head of Operations for Sussex Police, said: "Despite the inclement weather, a number of protestors gathered in the Western Road area of Brighton and attempted to disrupt businesses, including Top Shop.

"While we were quite happy to facilitate their right to peaceful protest, a hard core of protestors abused this right and entered Top Shop, assaulting a member of staff in the process. However, we have been able to maintain the free flow of traffic and pedestrians in the city, with just a short road closure in Western Road as the protest outside Top Shop was causing passers-by to have to step out into the road.

"Regrettably, no organiser made themselves known to us in order that our response could be co-ordinated accordingly, but we are satisfied that our response was proportionate to the activities of the protestors. That the vast majority of the city was able to carry on with business as usual is testament to that."