Police allowed to act on slow-walk protests
POLICE are to be given powers to crack down on slow-walking protests as ministers broaden the legal definition of what counts as “serious disruption” during demonstrations.
The change will be made through an amendment to the Public Order Bill and has been hailed by Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, as a way to help police counter protesters’ “guerrilla tactics”. Last year, environmental activists walked slowly along roads to bring traffic to a near standstill, leaving police uncertain how to react and facing public anger when they refused to intervene.
Police chiefs argued that officers could arrest activists only if their behaviour was causing “serious disruption”, and that it was not clear whether walking slowly in a road met the legal definition. The expanded definition will empower police to require that such protests take place on pavements and remove demonstrators if they refuse.
After the legal change, police officers will be able to consider the overall impact of a series of protests by a group instead as individual incidents. Officers will also be able to shut down protests before disruption takes place.
Mr Sunak said: “The right to protest is a fundamental principle of our democracy, but this is not absolute. A balance must be struck between the rights of individuals and the rights of the hard-working majority to go about their day-to-day business.
“We cannot have protests conducted by a small minority disrupting the lives of the ordinary public. It’s not acceptable and we’re going to bring it to an end.
“The police asked us for more clarity to crack down on these guerrilla tactics, and we have listened.”
Police also faced criticism for being slow to respond when environmental groups caused chaos last year by sitting in front of cars and scaling motorway gantries.
The change is being made after police chiefs urged Whitehall to provide clarity on whether the law allowed them to break up disruptive demonstrations.
Sir Mark Rowley, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, said: “I welcome the Government’s proposal to introduce a legal definition of ‘serious disruption’ and ‘reasonable excuse’. Parliament providing such clarity will create a clearer line for police to enforce when protests impact upon others.”