The construction and shaping of protesters’ perceptions of police legitimacy: a thematic approach to police information and intelligence gathering

ABSTRACT

This paper aims to examine antecedents and contingents associated with the construction and shaping of protesters’ perceptions of police legitimacy and provides a thematic approach to information and intelligence gathering in protest policing. It uses data obtained by qualitative interviews (N = 79) and non-participant observations at 13 protest events across London, between 2010 and 2015. Three inter-related themes are identified: 1) protester constructions of policing; 2) power and identity, and 3) levels of protester engagement and distancing. These suggest that protesters carry antecedent beliefs and are influenced by contingents during events, potentially leading to tensions that policing based on procedural fairness and respectful treatment alone, appear unlikely to ameliorate. The findings add to a growing recognition of the significance of context to perceptions of police legitimacy and provide police leaders and practitioners with a thematic approach that can be applied to the facilitation and management of protest.

KEYWORDS:

• Police legitimacy
• protest policing
• context
• procedural justice

Acknowledgments

The author is grateful to the anonymous reviewers for their comments in the preparation of this article.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Data sharing policy

The data that support the findings are available from the author upon reasonable request.

Notes

1. This refers to a protest event where the Metropolitan Police intervened to eject and prevent a sit-in demonstration and were perceived to have used police lines to protect property and goods at the premises.

2. Britain First are a far-right British political organisation formed in 2011 by former members of the British National Party.

3. A police tactic for controlling crowds. It involves the formation of cordons (lines) of police officers who then move to contain a crowd within a limited area. It is sometimes referred to as ‘kettling’ outside of the police service.

4. A reference to a scandal in the United Kingdom about an altercation between a Conservative Party MP and police officers. The officers were alleged to have concocted evidence to support an allegation of wrongdoing by the MP.

5. Occupy is an international socio-political movement that protests against social and economic inequality .

6. A term originally used to describe the Anti-Faschistische Aktion group (a German anti-fascist organisation), often used as an umbrella term to denote a protest network opposed to fascism.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

David Lydon

David Lydon, PhD, is a programme director and senior lecturer in professional policing at Canterbury Christ Church University, and former law enforcement professional. His main research interests focus on police legitimacy, police ethics, protest and public order policing, and specialist police operations.