Police given power to arrest masked protesters

MASKS will be banned at protests under laws to be introduced in the wake of the pro-palestinian demonstrations.

Police will have new powers to arrest protesters who wear face coverings to hide their identity as part of a raft of measures announced today by James Cleverly, the Home Secretary.

They will also bar demonstrators from using their human right to protest as a defence to commit public order offences, make it illegal to bring fireworks, flares or pyrotechnics to demonstrations and make it unlawful to climb on war memorials.

Mr Cleverly said: “Recent protests have seen a small minority dedicated to causing damage and intimidating the law-abiding majority.

“The right to protest is paramount in our county, but taking flares to marches to cause damage and disruption is not protest, it is dangerous. That is why we are giving police the powers to prevent any of this criminality on our streets.”

Police have the power under the 1994 Criminal Justice and Public Order Act, where 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 new offence will empower officers to arrest individuals who disregard their orders, with those who flout the rules facing a month behind bars and a £1,000 fine.

Proposals to tackle masks were recommended by Lord Walney, the Prime Minister’s official adviser on political violence, amid concern that protesters were using masks to hide their identity to stir anti-semitic abuse and violence.

The Government will also introduce a law that will bar protesters from using the right to protest as a reasonable or lawful excuse to commit public order offences such as blocking public highways, locking on to road infrastructure or causing a public nuisance.