Police criticised over handling of protests

LONDON (Reuters) - As police prepare to face some of the biggest street protests for several years, a committee of MPs has accused them of abusing their powers and being heavy-handed in dealing with demonstrators.

Parliament's Joint Select Committee on Human Rights said police were misusing counter-terrorism laws, anti-social behaviour legislation and the Protection from Harassment Act to deal with protestors.

"The right to protest is a fundamental democratic right and one that the state and police have a duty to protect and facilitate," said the committee's chairman Andrew Dismore.

"Of course, there is a balance to be struck between the rights of protestors, the police and the public (including protest targets) but the state must not impose restrictions unless it is necessary, and proportionate, to do so."

The warning comes as thousands of demonstrators prepare to protest in London at next month's G20 summit.

The committee said police were using stop and search powers to intimidate and conducting wide-ranging seizures of property.

At a Climate Camp protest in Kent last year, police had even seized tent pegs and a clown costume, it said.

The Chief Constable of Kent has now referred the policing of that demonstration, near a power station at Kingsnorth, to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Police were monitoring journalists, refusing them access to protests, not recognising press cards and even assaulting them, the National Union of Journalists told the committee.