11. Once the need for any use of force has passed, such as when a violent individual is safely
apprehended, no other resort to force is permissible. Law enforcement officials may not
use greater force than is proportionate to the legitimate objective of either dispersing a
protest, preventing a crime, or effecting an arrest. Once the legitimate objective is realized,
law enforcement officials must end the use of force immediately.
II.
Duties of law enforcement officials
1. Distinguish between peaceful and non-peaceful participants. Only those participating in
violence forfeit the legal guarantee prescribed in Article 14 of the Constitution. Individual
wrongdoers must be targeted rather than all participants generally unless such a distinction
is impossible due to the nature of the violence committed.
2. A human rights-based approach must be adopted in all aspects of planning, preparation,
implementation, and debriefing (address changing situations) associated with facilitating
protests. These are:
2.1.knowledge of the groups involved;
2.2.a commitment to facilitating the protest;
2.3.recognition of the value of voluntary communication at all stages during the protest;
2.4.identification of the diversity of the participants.
3. Law enforcement agencies must never use force at protests unless strictly unavoidable. If
force is used, it should be applied to the minimum extent necessary, following the principles
of restraint, proportionality, minimization of damage, and preservation of life. As
potentially lethal weapons, firearms are not appropriate tactical tools for policing or
dispersing protests and should be avoided. If force is used at a protest, it should trigger an
automatic and prompt review.
4. Where injuries or deaths result from using force, an independent, open, prompt, and
effective investigation must be undertaken, by a panel of individuals appointed for such
purpose and who possess integrity and competence. Those officers responsible should be
sanctioned appropriately, and victims should be informed about possible remedies.
22