Under new legislation introduced today (28 April 2023), police
will be empowered to intervene against highly disruptive slow
marching tactics used to block roads and cause chaos to the lives
of the hard-working public.
This legislation will support the Public Order Bill, which passed
through Parliament yesterday, by clearly setting out what is
meant by ‘serious disruption to the life of the community’. This
will give police the clarity they have asked for on when to use
their existing powers to break up the slow marching tactics
protesters have used to halt traffic across the UK.
Today’s legislation, alongside the Public Order Bill, is the
latest in a series of measures the Government has taken to clamp
down on selfish, guerrilla protest tactics and bringing in new
criminal offences and tougher penalties for those who
intentionally inflict misery on the public.
The Public Order Bill will:
- create a new criminal offence for interfering with key
national infrastructure, such as roads, airports and railways,
with perpetrators facing 12 months behind bars
- make it illegal to ‘lock-on’ to others, objects, or
buildings, carrying a maximum penalty of 6 months’ imprisonment
and an unlimited fine
- allow police to carry out Stop and Search when they believe
protestors are setting out to inflict serious disruption, so
police can intervene before chaos is caused
Home Secretary said:
Selfish, disruptive protesters are wreaking havoc in people’s
everyday lives across the country and this must be brought to a
stop.
This is why we are bringing forward this new law to clearly
define serious disruption as requested by police chiefs.
Not only will the Public Order Bill, passed yesterday by
Parliament, introduce new criminal offences for causing serious
disruption, this new legislation permits the police to clear the
roads of slow marching protesters who are hell-bent on causing
chaos across the UK.
Crime and Policing Minister said:
The British public do not deserve to have their daily lives
disrupted by the self-indulgent, criminal behaviour we have seen
in some recent protests.
With the Public Order Bill passing in Parliament yesterday and
these new measures, we are protecting the hard-working majority’s
right to go about their day free from disruption.
The legislation will be laid as a Statutory Instrument in
Parliament and will be debated in both the House of Commons and
House of Lords before it comes into law.
National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Public Order and Public
Safety, Chief Constable BJ Harrington, said:
Policing is not anti-protest, but there is a difference between
protest and criminal activism, and we are committed to responding
quickly and effectively to activists who deliberately disrupt
people’s lives through dangerous, reckless, and criminal acts.
It is the responsibility of Parliament make the law, and our job
to enforce it. We have advised and provide professional advice to
the Home Office to inform decisions about public order
legislation. This has been based on ensuring that we can
discharge our responsibilities appropriately, while balancing the
rights of the public who are going about their daily business
lawfully, and the rights of those protesting.
