Protestor banned from harassing Middlesbrough Council staff

Orangzabe Latif had been protesting online and outside Middlesbrough Council offices

A protestor has been banned from harassing council staff.

Orangzabe Latif was campaigning against Middlesbrough Council's social services through online videos and protests outside its offices, Teesside County Court heard.

He had also been driving a van that had negative comments about the department written on the side.

The council applied for an injunction but that will be determined at a future date.

In the meantime, a judge granted an order that Mr Latif could not "engage in contact that could cause or is capable of causing harassment, alarm or distress to persons employed by [Middlesbrough Council]."

'Coming for you'

However, the judge did not go as far as to stop him from protesting within 200m of the council buildings or forcing him to keep his van off the road, which was also requested by the local authority, as he said he was wary about curtailing Mr Latif's freedom of speech, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The council's solicitor Andrew Perriman said: "It's got to a point where enough is enough on account of behaviours demonstrated by Mr Latif recently."

Mr Perriman raised comments that Mr Latif made in an online video directed at people who worked in social services which said: "I am coming for you directly and if you leave the department it doesn't mean anything.

"I will be bringing my whole demonstration directly outside your doorsteps so your neighbours know what kind of person you are and what kind of crimes you do."

Mr Latif said by doorstep, he meant the employees' new workplace, not their personal address.

He added that he did not intend to visit people's homes.