KEDEM ‘PRECEDENTS’

I have no wish to be defeatist as to a possible legal remedy in respect of the protest at the Kedem store in Manchester as suggested by Jonathan Goldberg ( Letters, Aug 1). I will leave it to others to judge whether £36,000 is a bargain compared to market rates (I’m sure many other lawyers would join me in offering our services for free) but the potential for disaster is great.

Mr Goldberg suggests we should establish a precedent. Has it not occurred to my learned friend that losing is also a precedent? That an injunction (even if granted) would be against a bunch of individuals who would welcome that fight, pursue their defence, “no win, no fee”, and draw us into a battle that could be a PR and legal disaster, and hugely expensive, even if we win. Is the £36,000 a cap on all costs? Or could the community end up with bills for £360,000 plus costs?

This battle is one to be fought on the streets not in the courts. It is about getting the message over. It is for the GM Police and Manchester City Council to take action to take back the streets and enforce the legitimate rules of protest, not the deliberate disruption of trade to Kedem and its neighbouring stores. “Lawfare” has its place; King Street, Manchester, isn’t it. Mark Lewis, Solicitor Strand, London, WC2