Waste Injunction Against Persons Unknown

About the injunction

On 3 February 2026, Birmingham City Council issued an application for an injunction for 6 months prohibiting protesting activities by persons unknown who, in support of strikes organised by Unite the Union ("Unite") and without the council's consent:

• Enter, occupy or remain on, or block or obstruct the entering or exiting of any other individual or vehicle to and from the following locations:
  • Atlas Depot, 70/72 Kings Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, B11 2AS
  • Lifford Lane Depot, Ebury Road, Kings Norton, Birmingham, B3 3JJ
  • Perry Barr Depot, Holford Drive, Birmingham B42 2TU
  • Smithfield Depot, Sherlock Street, Birmingham, B5 6HX

And / or

• Block or obstruct any of the council's street management vehicles within the City of Birmingham. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:
  • waste collection vehicles
  • street scene vehicles
  • trade waste vehicles
  • clinical waste vehicles

The application does not seek to limit protesting activity that does not block or obstruct the provision of waste services in Birmingham, or to limit lawful picketing and protest activity carried out in accordance with the existing injunction granted by the High Court against Unite (dated 27 May 2025). This injunction was extended on 29 May 2025 and applied to Smithfield Depot on 25 June 2025.

If the application is granted

If the court grants the application, anyone breaching the injunction, or a person who does anything that helps or permits a person to breach the terms of the order, might:

• be imprisoned for up to 2 years
• be fined
• have their assets seized for contempt of court

The hearing

The hearing has been listed to take place as follows:

Date: Friday 13 February 2026
Time: 10:30am

Location:
Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre
Priory Courts, 33 Bull Street
Birmingham B4 6DS

The hearing is expected to last 3 hours.

The hearing gives those persons unknown, who are the subject of our application, the opportunity to make representations to the Court about our application.

To help us manage this process, we would be grateful if you could notify our solicitors if you are going to attend the hearing. Email: SM-BCCInjunction@dlapiper.com

View the Court Order for full hearing details

Supporting information

Where possible, we have taken steps to make sure supporting documents comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), but some documents may not be fully accessible for users of assistive technology.

If you need help to access a document, email: MonitoringOfficer@Birmingham.gov.uk

Application documents and evidence

View the injunction application, witness statements and exhibits

View supporting video evidence on YouTube

Hearing documents

View the court order and other hearing documents

Page last updated: 5 February 2026