Geoff Pearson
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profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson
@profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
1.3K followers 340 following 190 posts

Prof of Law at Manchester University. Socio-legal research interests in human rights, policing, public order, crowd management, football "hooliganism", Ethnography, and sports law. Currently on research leave.

Videos
Political science 47%
Sociology 29%
Posts Replies Media Videos

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 8h
On the nose again. Not sure how, but David Squires manages it every week.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 9h
I'll be on The Law Show this week on Radio 4 (and BBC Sounds), talking about football fan legislation. The other topics on the show are criminal court delays and protest cases.

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

davidsquires.bsky.social
David Squires @davidsquires.bsky.social · 9h
Here’s this week’s cartoon for @sport.theguardian.com

www.theguardian.com/football/pic...
David Squires on … Fifa’s peace prize and Donald Trump’s eligibility
Our cartoonist on how the US president’s actions in office may have put him in line for an award
www.theguardian.com

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 2d
You just knew that somehow they were going to mess up the new football regulator.
philippeauclair.bsky.social Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 2d
A reminder that David Kogan was *not* on the shortlist for the position of head of the football regulator service and that the candidates who *had* been shortlisted were then ignored in his favour. Kogan did not even apply for the position.
bbcnews-uk-rss.bsky.social Unofficial BBCNews (UK) Bot @bbcnews-uk-rss.bsky.social · 2d
Lisa Nandy apologises for breaking rules on football regulator job

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

philippeauclair.bsky.social
Philippe Auclair @philippeauclair.bsky.social · 2d
A reminder that David Kogan was *not* on the shortlist for the position of head of the football regulator service and that the candidates who *had* been shortlisted were then ignored in his favour. Kogan did not even apply for the position.

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

stefmowords.bsky.social
Stefan Mohamed @stefmowords.bsky.social · 5d
succubus - female demon that seduces men

incubus - male demon that seduces women

vengabus - non-binary demon that likes to party

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

uomlaw.bsky.social
uomlaw.bsky.social @uomlaw.bsky.social · 6d
Our lecturer, Dr Fiona Brimblecombe, has recently published her Open-Access monograph 'Defamation in the Digital Age and the "right to be forgotten"'. Check it out here: bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/defamation-i... @uomsoss.bsky.social

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 7d
In Birmingham today for the launch of the nine NPCC/UKRI Policing Academic Centres of Excellence.

Delighted to be one of the team representing Manchester-PACE, a collaboration between The University of Manchester and MMU @manmetuni.bsky.social

science.police.uk/delivery/res...
M-PACE – Manchester P-ACE, Manchester Metropolitan University with University of Manchester
M-PACE aims to support its policing partners in appreciating, developing and mobilising evidence and tools to successfully meet the challenges that they face.
science.police.uk

Reposted by Anna O. Law, Andrew Scott, Tim Bale , and 9 more

joshuajfriedman.com
Joshua J. Friedman @joshuajfriedman.com · 8d
You laugh, but this is how the exododus went extinct
New York Post headline: Nearly a million New Yorkers ready to flee NYC if Mamdani becomes mayor - possibly igniting largest exododus in history: poll

Reposted by Julie Cupples, Geoff Pearson, Colm O’Cinneíde , and 1 more

tom-clark.bsky.social
Tom Clark @tom-clark.bsky.social · 8d
Amid many a silly “free speech” panic, here is a genuinely chilling case …

Sheffield Hallam professor accuses the institution of negotiating “directly with a foreign intelligence service to trade my academic freedom for access to the Chinese student market”

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
China intimidated UK university to ditch human rights research, documents show
Sheffield Hallam University apologises to Professor Laura Murphy for restricting her academic freedom.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Leigh Sparks, Charlie Beckett, Mary Corcoran , and 1 more

lizstokoe.bsky.social
Elizabeth Stokoe @lizstokoe.bsky.social · 9d
"it is striking how many of the key players we have looked into — the people who have gone out of their way to put up hundreds of flags — seem anything but ordinary."

manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
The men who raised the flags
Nigel Farage says this summer’s movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. That’s not what we found
manchestermill.co.uk

Reposted by Joe R. Feagin, Arthur Geßler, Euan G. Ritchie , and 8 more

markhamillofficial.bsky.social
Mark Hamill @markhamillofficial.bsky.social · 10d
What he said: 💯 🎯

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 10d
The test for what is damage under the CDA is a really low bar, albeit subject to the AG Ref qualification. I'd be amazed if they wouldn't have been convicted of that.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 11d
That's made my day.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 11d
Presumably this is the "reasonable excuse" defence for public nuisance in action, following Ziegler? Anyone know why the CPS didn't pursue criminal damage?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Just Stop Oil activists cleared over Stonehenge protest
The trio are cleared of all charges after citing human rights law in their defence.
www.bbc.co.uk

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

alangreene.bsky.social
Alan Greene @alangreene.bsky.social · 12d
I elaborate on allegation-picking here. It has the potential to act (in certain circumstances) as a vehicle for judicial avoidance but one that has avoided the same kind of scruinty as doctrines such as the margin of appreciation have been subjected to: strasbourgobservers.com/2025/02/25/a...
Allegation-Picking and the European Court of Human Rights: A Pervasive Court Practice Hiding in Plain Sight? - Strasbourg Observers
By Alan Greene It is now almost cliché to suggest that the European Court of Human Rights ‘missed an opportunity’ when handing down a judgment. Often, these laments highlight that the Court decided th...
strasbourgobservers.com

Reposted by Geoff Pearson, Andrew Geddis

seethingmead.bsky.social
David Mead @seethingmead.bsky.social · 14d
vacancies.uea.ac.uk/vacancies/18...

Come join me and my good chums in the Law School here…

This is where we work

You could even work with me, trying - sometimes succeeding - to convey the joys of Public Law to 1st years

Reposted by Geoff Pearson

tobyseddon.bsky.social
Toby Seddon @tobyseddon.bsky.social · 14d
Looking to build back up my group of PhD students. Primarily interested in supervising in the area of drug policy but open to other areas, too. Drop me an email if you have an idea. For more information about me and my work, take a look here: tobyseddon.com
Toby Seddon
Critical thinking on drugs, drug policy & drug law reform
tobyseddon.com

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 16d
New flagship policy of One Out, One In?

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 21d
If that is even a half accurate account of the intelligence received by the SAG, it's pretty embarrassing* for the senior politicians from all sides who spoke out about it.

*Well, those who still have any shame anyway.

Reposted by Will Jennings, Steve Peers, Geoff Pearson

sundersays.bsky.social
Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 21d
A Maccabi club source told the UK Jewish News that the intervention of far right political activist Tommy Robinson pledging to attend the game as a Maccabi fan was the "final straw" for their decision about the risks of accepting tickets amid this row
www.jewishnews.co.uk/exclusive-ma...

Reposted by Elizabeth Stokoe, Geoff Pearson

stheil.bsky.social
Stefan Theil @stheil.bsky.social · 21d
Please ciruclate: Looking for 1-2 RAs for a project on domestic court impact on outcomes at the ECtHR (200h total until end of Feb). Essential: undergraduate degree in law (or related subject) and resident in UK - suitable for grad students. Deadline: 31 October: www.law.cam.ac.uk/press/jobs/2...
Research Assistants
Dr Stefan Theil is looking for up to two research assistants to help with a project on the impact of UK court decisions on the ECHR.
www.law.cam.ac.uk

Reposted by Steve Peers, Geoff Pearson

davidallengreen.bsky.social
dag @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 21d
NEW

Either public safety is an absolute priority at sporting events or it is not.

Reflections on the Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv match

By me

emptycity.substack.com/p/either-pub...
Either public safety is an absolute priority at sporting events or it is not.
Reflections on the Aston Villa and Maccabi Tel Aviv match
emptycity.substack.com

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 21d
Now it seems that the sorry tale of the Maccabi Tel Aviv away ticket allocation has finally run its course, time for some reflection. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Standing with Maccabi’s football hooligans against local police – is that what patriotism looks like now? | Jonathan Liew
Tommy Robinson is said to be going to Villa Park as a Maccabi Tel Aviv fan. Do the politicians jumping on this bandwagon care what they are doing, asks Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew
www.theguardian.com

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 21d
It sounds like you are OK with famalam?

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 23d
Indeed. It's a very similar argument.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 23d
Yes, the policing of protests also take away police from their routine duties. And an argument was put forward at that committee hearing that the organisers of repeat protests should pay for their own policing.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 24d
In answer to your question, SAG bans of all away fans are highly unusual, but not unheard of. The Rangers & Celtic examples *are* relevant as it's broadly the same policing and safely framework as England & Wales. Then you need to go back to Millwall banning all away fans of six clubs in the 2000s.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 24d
I disagree with the first part. The costs will just be pushed into the fans and the smaller clubs will go to the wall. Agree with your second argument, although it's generally not the clubs making the profit, it's the players, agents, and event organisers - the 'prune juice' effect as it's known.

profgeoffpearson.bsky.social
Geoff Pearson @profgeoffpearson.bsky.social · 24d
Yes, Richard's work states that the cost of football policing overall is lower than has been claimed and the amount policing is able to claim back through SPS is higher.