Continuing to resist increased police powers on our protest rights
Our Resources to support protest section provides a one-stop resource for activists, community groups, and protesters, wanting to understand the law and what the issues are around it. We also invite you to tell us what protest support and resources you require.
The Government is trying to pass a new law called the Public Order Bill 2022, which would give police more power to arrest protesters if they think the protesters might cause ‘serious disruption’. Penny Mordaunt has announced that the Public Order Bill will be returning to the Commons for consideration of Lords Amendments on Tuesday, 7 March.
There is widespread concern that these proposed laws pose a serious threat to the right to protest, which is an important part of living in a democratic society. There are also concerns about other parts of the Public Order Bill that would allow the Government to monitor and watch people who protest.
The Government has also added new amendments to the Public Order Bill that would make it easier for the police to stop protests they believe are causing disruption or problems. This means that the police would not have to wait for disruption to happen before they stop a protest, and they could also consider the overall impact of a series of protests by a group. It is highly likely that the Public Order Bill will make it harder for people to protest and speak out in public.
Some of the measures contained in the Public Order Bill were debated in Parliament as part of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts (PCSC) Act 2022 in 2021 but were rejected. Now the Government is trying again to get these previously rejected sections passed into new law. At the moment, the Public Order Bill is still being debated in Parliament. Last week, members of the House of Lords concluded the third reading publicly debating amendments to this proposed law. The Bill has not yet reached the final stage before it is passed as new law.
If this new law passes, it will make it harder for people to peacefully protest and speak out without fear of being watched by the police or facing criminal charges. But we are working to support the right to protest and help people understand their rights when they do protest.
Updated on 6 March 2023