Ban face masks at protests, violence adviser tells Sunak

POLICE should have powers to ban face masks at protests, the Prime Minister’s official adviser on political violence has recommended.

Lord Walney has submitted a report to Rishi Sunak setting out new measures on policing protests amid growing concern at the way masked activists have chanted anti-jewish slogans, waved pro-hamas material and clashed with officers at recent pro-palestinian demonstrations.

There are fears over the spread of the Us-style tactic adopted by “black bloc” anarchist protesters intent on violence who wear dark clothing, ski masks, scarves, sunglasses and motorcycle helmets to hide their identities.

The new powers proposed in the review by Lord Walney, the former Labour MP John Woodcock, would give police powers to make a ban on masks an explicit condition before a march could go ahead. The same condition would apply to fireworks and flares.

If the organisers refused to agree, police would be able to ban the march and bar future demonstrations if they failed to abide by the conditions.

The move goes beyond current police powers in the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act where police officers can demand the removal of masks by protesters.

Section 60 of the Act enables police to issue an order allowing them to demand the removal of masks in a specific area where they believe there is a threat of violence or disorder.

The move is backed by former Home Office ministers Robert Jenrick and Dame Priti Patel. “Face coverings are being deliberately used by law-breakers to disguise themselves and intimidate the public. The impunity for extremists on our streets must end,” Mr Jenrick told The Sun. Ms Patel said the public was “incensed by the selfish and disruptive actions of these groups”.

The review is understood to recommend that Pro-palestine march organisers should be charged to help cover the costs of policing. Lord Walney believes there is a case for charging because of the “great amount of police resource” being absorbed by the protests.

Since the October 7 attack by Hamas and Israel’s military response in Gaza, London and many other UK cities have been convulsed by pro-palestine marches. The total cost of policing the protests is estimated to have reached more than £20 million.

Appearing before MPS in December, Matt Twist, the assistant commissioner for the Metropolitan Police, said that between Oct 7 and Dec 8 his force had spent £17 million on the protests.

Describing it as the “greatest period of sustained pressure on the Met since the Olympics in 2012”, he said the Met had used 28,000 officer shifts to deal with the protests along with 1,600 shifts provided by other police forces.