About
Fathers 4 Justice

Fathers 4 Justice(F4J) was formed in the summer of 2001 by London-based creative director and political activist Matt O’Connor after he was denied access to his two boys in Britain’s Secret Family Courts. This followed a difficult separation from his first wife.

Despite resolving the matter out of court in late 2001 and re-establishing a normal relationship with his children, O’Connor pledged to reform family law for the benefit of his two sons whom he feared would suffer the same experience when they became fathers. On 17th December 2002, Fathers 4 Justice staged their first direct action demonstration when 200 Father Christmases stormed the lobby of the then Lord Chancellor’s Department.

Since then O’Connor has masterminded the creation of one of the highest profile campaign groups in the world, spawning a host of imitation (but unrelated) groups in different countries. His iconic protests have garnered worldwide publicity for a cause shrouded in secrecy by the courts and ignored by the political and religious elite.

From Spiderman at Tower Bridge to Batman at Buckingham Palace and the flour-bombing of the Prime Minister in the chamber of the House of Commons, the campaign for truth, justice and equality in family law has captured the public imagination, catapulting the issues surrounding family law to the top of the political agenda, and inspiring thousands of disenfranchised parents and grandparents alike to campaign for equal parenting rights.

Given the attention the campaign received, it is unsurprising that the history of F4J has not been without incident. In 2006 The Sun newspaper ran a front-page story saying that ‘extremist’ elements on the outskirts of F4J had been plotting to kidnap then Prime Minister’s son, five-year-old Leo Blair.