ABSTRACT
The sequence of events chosen from the nineteenth century is that surrounding the 'Salvation Army riots' of the 1880s, leading to what became the key case on what constituted an ·unlawful assembly'- Beatty \' Gillbanks. 1 From the twentieth century the focus is the anti-hunting protests of the 1990s which led to the creation of additional offences and police powers enacted in the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. In both cases there was a lawful public activity - the processions of the Salvation Army, and the actions of the hunts - which was disrupted by protesters. In the case of the Salvation Army the most frequent protests came from the 'Skeleton Army', in the case of hunting from anti-fieldsports protesters (some in organised groups, some rather more ad hoc). After examination of these incidents, attempt will be made to draw some
conclusionsaboutthesimilaritiesanddifferencesinthereactiontothetwo casesbytheHomeOffice,thecourts,and,toalimitedextent,themedia(in theformofnewspaperreporting).
