Police to get new powers to crack down on repeated protests, says Home Office

"Ministers are to give police new powers to target repeated protests, aimed particularly at cracking down on demonstrations connected to Gaza, the Home Office has said. The announcement, made the morning after almost 500 people were arrested in London for expressing support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation, could allow police to order regular protests to take place at a different site."

"The right to protest is a fundamental freedom in our country. However, this freedom must be balanced with the freedom of their neighbours to live their lives without fear. Large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave their homes. This has been particularly evident in relation to the considerable fear within the Jewish community, which has been expressed to me on many occasions in these recent difficult days."

"Under the planned powers, Mahmood will push through rapid changes to the Public Order Act 1986, allowing police to consider the cumulative impact of repeated protests. Details will be set out in due course, the announcement said. If a protest has caused what a Home Office statement called repeated disorder at the same site for repeated weeks, police would be able to order the organisers to move it elsewhere, with anyone who fails to obey risking arrest."

Ministers will give police new powers to target repeated protests, particularly demonstrations connected to Gaza. Rapid changes to the Public Order Act 1986 will allow police to consider the cumulative impact of repeated protests and order organisers to move regular gatherings if the same site has seen repeated disorder for repeated weeks. Failure to obey relocation orders could lead to arrest. Existing anti-protest laws will be reviewed with the possibility of strengthened powers to ban some protests outright. Nearly 500 people were arrested in London for expressing support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation. The stated aim is to protect protest rights while ensuring community safety.

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