Duff had been tutoring an A-level student in the gardens of the Wilton estate in Hackney, east London, one early evening in spring 2013 when police entered in force.
Concerned by the commotion, she decided to go and have a look at what was happening. She found officers surrounding a teenage boy who was calling for help.
“He was saying he wanted his mum present for the search,” Duff said. “I knew a little bit about legal observing and rights around stop and search, so I went over.”
Observing... Not becoming actively involved....
Duff says she first tried to mediate with officers, but they ignored her.
Police officers don't and should not be expected to 'mediate' with random members of the public who decide to interrupt lawful policing activity.
She then spoke to the boy, who later turned out to be 15, and offered him a card detailing his rights during a stop and search and including the numbers of independent solicitors.
You would think this lady (with her own criminal record) would already be well aware from her previous trip to the police station that one of the first things detainees are informed of is their right to free and independant legal advice from either the duty solicitor or a nominated firm of their choosing.
But when she reached out to give it to him “the officers were immediately aggressive”, said Duff, describing how they ordered her back, then detained her.
So they warned you not pass (or potentially receive) any items to (or from) someone being searched (a perfectly justifiable and reasonable request imo) .... You ignored them and as a result were arrested....
“They were like, ‘That’s it, you’re nicked.’ They grabbed me, started dragging me around and hurled me to the ground, and then say: ‘You’ve assaulted us.’”