Knowledge (XXG)

Public Order Act 2023

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344:"it is concerned the offence could encompass demonstrators who simply link arms with each other, and that it should be amended. The committee said measures relating to the obstruction of major transport works covered actions that were not intended to cause significant disruption, while those related to interference with key national infrastructure covered those that were neither "key" nor "national". The proposed serious disruption prevention orders could prevent people being able to exercise their right to protest, the committee said, and represented a "disproportionate response" to any resulting disruption. It also expressed concerns about the extension of stop and search powers, allowing police to carry out searches where there were no reasonable grounds for suspicion." 48: 328:
works came into force, along with the section creating a requirement that police cannot use their powers solely to prevent individuals from observing or reporting on a protest. On 4 April 2024, regulations were made to bring into force the provisions relating to serious disruption prevention orders with effect from 5 April 2024.
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An Act to make provision for new offences relating to public order; to make provision about stop and search powers; to make provision about the exercise of police functions relating to public order; to make provision about proceedings by the Secretary of State relating to protest-related activities;
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The sections of the act creating the offences related to locking on as well as interference with key national infrastructure came into force by statutory instrument on 3 May 2023. On 2 July 2023, the sections of the act creating the offences related to tunnelling and obstruction of major transport
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In January 2023, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's government had announced plans to amend the Public Order Bill before it becomes law "to broaden the legal definition of 'serious disruption', give police more flexibility, and provide legal clarity on when the new powers could be used."
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In October 2022, MPs passed the bill by 276 votes to 231. In January 2023, the House of Lords overturned plans to increase police powers to allow them to restrict protests by 254 votes to 240 and added a clause restricting protests within 150 metres of an
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powers to prevent disruptive protests (including without suspicion), and "Serious Disruption Prevention Orders" "which can restrict people's freedom by imposing conditions on repeat offenders".
402: 355: 306:, by 299 votes to 116. Meanwhile, other amendments made by the House of Lords, including those limiting the powers police officers would be granted under the law, were rejected. 792: 1094: 1099: 367: 1069: 832: 588: 256:
The act is "explicitly targeted at protesters", such as "the current outbreak of climate protests across Britain". The government specifically named the protests of
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The act also includes measures to create safe access zones around abortion clinics with a radius of 150 metres, but these provisions are not in force.
1074: 397: 71: 872: 766: 634: 1064: 1017: 1089: 473: 100: 567: 747: 203: 52: 337: 230: 1054: 229:. As with the previous act, this bill also received criticism in regards to declining civil liberties in the country. The 611: 433: 547: 513: 302:. In March, the House of Commons upheld the abortion-related provision, on which the Conservative Party permitted a 210:
greater powers to prevent protest tactics deemed "disruptive" such as those used by climate protestors. It received
1084: 1079: 246: 705: 310: 291: 233:"called for key measures in the legislation to be watered down or scrapped because the laws would have a " 935: 379: 359: 313:, conflicts between the two Houses were ultimately resolved on 26 April 2023, when the Lords decided by 60: 257: 963: 616: 177: 173: 199: 121: 434:"Parts of a controversial anti-protest law come into force ahead of King Charles' coronation" 593: 265: 129: 968: 857: 710: 350: 303: 299: 250: 237:" on people in England and Wales seeking to exercise their legitimate democratic rights." 234: 992:"UK: Government plan to push more anti-protest legislation through Lords must be stopped" 358:
called the bill "... an affront to a civilised society". The bill was also criticised by
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to make provision about serious disruption prevention orders; and for connected purposes.
833:"Wednesday briefing: The public order bill that will make dissent a lot more difficult" 572: 363: 226: 166: 91: 1043: 936:"The Public Order Act 2023 (Commencement No. 4) (England and Wales) Regulations 2024" 910:"The Public Order Act 2023 (Commencement No. 1) (England and Wales) Regulations 2023" 731: 552: 548:"The government's anti-protest bill is back. Here's what you might not know about it" 261: 909: 893: 837: 797: 690: 662: 639: 211: 142: 812: 793:"'Criminalising our right to protest': green groups' anger over public order bill" 492: 727:"Public do not support Priti Patel's plans to increase police powers, poll finds" 612:"Let the Irish Run the U.K. until the English Can Get This Omnishambles Together" 17: 589:"What is the public order bill designed to crack down on 'disruptive' protests?" 474:"'Shameful' Labour peers abstain from key vote on 'draconian' anti-protest laws" 321: 215: 159: 87: 314: 176:
as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from
853:"MPs reject calls to allow 'silent prayer' in abortion clinic buffer zones" 686:"Keir Starmer backs stiff sentences for climate protesters who block roads" 454:"Anti-protest laws and culture wars weakening UK's democracy, finds report" 271:
Measures previously rejected by the House of Lords in consideration of the
817: 125: 767:"Women still being harassed at abortion clinics despite buffer zone law" 514:"U.K. Police 'Regret' Coronation Protest Arrests After Using New Powers" 751: 658:"Peers called on to kill public order bill targeting climate activists" 1018:"UN rights chief urges UK to reverse 'troubling' Public Order Bill" 873:"Public Order Bill; Volume 829: debated on Wednesday 26 April 2023" 813:"Public Order Bill: Peers defeat plans to curb protest disruption" 635:"Ministers creating 'hostile environment' for protesters, say MPs" 275:, including banning individuals from protests, were reintroduced. 190:(c. 15), referred to during its passage through Parliament as the 408:
Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act (Northern Ireland) 2023
706:"We Interviewed Climate Activists Who Were Jailed for Protest" 105:
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
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Public Order Act 2023 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2023
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Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024
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not to insist on amendments the Commons disagreed with.
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John, Tara; Mendonca, Duarte; Foster, Max (2 May 2023).
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In October 2022, the Parliament of the United Kingdom's
568:"Controversial Public Order Bill passed in Westminster" 748:"UK seeks stronger powers to stop disruptive protests" 629: 627: 964:"Sinister curbs on the freedom to protest are wrong" 493:"New police powers to tackle slow-walking protests" 172: 165: 158: 151: 141: 136: 115: 83: 70: 59: 368:United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 342: 324:on 2 May 2023 and became an act of Parliament. 124:; but provisions amending Acts which extend to 394:Regarding the provision for safe access zones 208:law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom 385:Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 273:Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 223:Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 8: 95: 35: 1095:Political repression in the United Kingdom 512:Specia, Megan; Bubola, Emma (9 May 2023). 390:Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 108: 92:Secretary of State for the Home Department 34: 1100:Constitutional laws of the United Kingdom 606: 604: 1070:Freedom of speech in the United Kingdom 421: 1050:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 2023 398:Legal protection of access to abortion 167:Text of statute as originally enacted 160:History of passage through Parliament 7: 652: 650: 452:Allegretti, Aubrey (2 August 2023). 245:The act introduces new offences for 765:Campbell, Denis (18 October 2023). 546:Barradale, Greg (18 October 2022). 1060:Criminal law of the United Kingdom 746:James, William (15 January 2023). 320:The bill received royal assent by 25: 894:Statutory Instrument 2023 No. 502 587:Bulbul, Nuray (19 October 2022). 174:Text of the Public Order Act 2023 472:Robertson, Adam (14 June 2023). 204:Parliament of the United Kingdom 53:Parliament of the United Kingdom 46: 725:Barradale, Greg (1 June 2022). 338:Joint Committee on Human Rights 231:Joint Committee on Human Rights 1075:Protests in the United Kingdom 290:The bill was announced in the 1: 354:, formerly Conservative peer 348:In November, writing for the 1065:Courts of the United Kingdom 1090:Abortion access legislation 153:Status: Current legislation 1116: 32:United Kingdom legislation 27:United Kingdom legislation 268:as reasons it is needed. 132:extend to those countries 45: 40: 996:Amnesty International UK 309:Following a months-long 117:Territorial extent  101:The Lord Sharpe of Epsom 916:. The National Archives 311:parliamentary ping-pong 221:This bill followed the 346: 380:Public Order Act 1986 360:Amnesty International 188:Public Order Act 2023 36:Public Order Act 2023 1055:English criminal law 258:Extinction Rebellion 286:Legislative history 37: 943:legislation.gov.uk 914:legislation.gov.uk 841:. 26 October 2022. 821:. 7 February 2023. 714:. 25 October 2022. 694:. 24 October 2022. 620:. 21 October 2022. 576:. 18 October 2022. 518:The New York Times 241:Details of the act 178:legislation.gov.uk 972:. 4 November 2022 666:. 1 November 2022 356:Camilla Cavendish 214:on 2 May 2023 by 196:anti-protest bill 192:public order bill 184: 183: 122:England and Wales 41:Act of Parliament 18:Public Order Bill 16:(Redirected from 1107: 1085:Anti-protest law 1080:Sentencing (law) 1034: 1033: 1031: 1029: 1014: 1008: 1007: 1005: 1003: 988: 982: 981: 979: 977: 960: 954: 953: 951: 949: 940: 932: 926: 925: 923: 921: 906: 900: 891: 885: 884: 882: 880: 869: 863: 862: 849: 843: 842: 829: 823: 822: 809: 803: 802: 789: 783: 782: 780: 778: 762: 756: 755: 743: 737: 736: 722: 716: 715: 702: 696: 695: 682: 676: 675: 673: 671: 654: 645: 644: 631: 622: 621: 608: 599: 598: 594:Evening Standard 584: 578: 577: 564: 558: 557: 543: 532: 528: 526: 524: 508: 506: 504: 488: 486: 484: 468: 466: 464: 448: 446: 444: 426: 322:King Charles III 294:on 10 May 2022. 266:Insulate Britain 216:King Charles III 130:Northern Ireland 118: 110: 97: 50: 49: 38: 21: 1115: 1114: 1110: 1109: 1108: 1106: 1105: 1104: 1040: 1039: 1038: 1037: 1027: 1025: 1024:. 27 April 2023 1016: 1015: 1011: 1001: 999: 990: 989: 985: 975: 973: 969:Financial Times 962: 961: 957: 947: 945: 938: 934: 933: 929: 919: 917: 908: 907: 903: 892: 888: 878: 876: 875:. 26 April 2023 871: 870: 866: 861:. 7 March 2023. 858:Shropshire Star 851: 850: 846: 831: 830: 826: 811: 810: 806: 791: 790: 786: 776: 774: 764: 763: 759: 745: 744: 740: 724: 723: 719: 704: 703: 699: 684: 683: 679: 669: 667: 656: 655: 648: 643:. 16 June 2022. 633: 632: 625: 610: 609: 602: 586: 585: 581: 566: 565: 561: 545: 544: 535: 531: 522: 520: 511: 502: 500: 499:. 27 April 2023 491: 482: 480: 471: 462: 460: 451: 442: 440: 431: 427: 423: 418: 376: 351:Financial Times 334: 300:abortion clinic 288: 251:stop and search 243: 235:chilling effect 154: 116: 99: 55: 47: 33: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1113: 1111: 1103: 1102: 1097: 1092: 1087: 1082: 1077: 1072: 1067: 1062: 1057: 1052: 1042: 1041: 1036: 1035: 1009: 983: 955: 927: 901: 886: 864: 844: 824: 804: 801:. 10 May 2022. 784: 757: 738: 717: 697: 677: 646: 623: 600: 579: 573:HeraldScotland 559: 533: 530: 529: 509: 489: 469: 449: 428: 420: 419: 417: 414: 413: 412: 411: 410: 405: 400: 392: 387: 382: 375: 372: 333: 330: 292:Queen's speech 287: 284: 242: 239: 227:House of Lords 182: 181: 170: 169: 163: 162: 156: 155: 152: 149: 148: 145: 139: 138: 134: 133: 119: 113: 112: 85: 81: 80: 74: 68: 67: 63: 57: 56: 51: 43: 42: 31: 26: 24: 14: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1112: 1101: 1098: 1096: 1093: 1091: 1088: 1086: 1083: 1081: 1078: 1076: 1073: 1071: 1068: 1066: 1063: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1051: 1048: 1047: 1045: 1023: 1019: 1013: 1010: 998:. 7 June 2023 997: 993: 987: 984: 971: 970: 965: 959: 956: 944: 937: 931: 928: 915: 911: 905: 902: 899: 895: 890: 887: 874: 868: 865: 860: 859: 854: 848: 845: 840: 839: 834: 828: 825: 820: 819: 814: 808: 805: 800: 799: 794: 788: 785: 772: 768: 761: 758: 753: 749: 742: 739: 734: 733: 732:The Big Issue 728: 721: 718: 713: 712: 707: 701: 698: 693: 692: 687: 681: 678: 665: 664: 659: 653: 651: 647: 642: 641: 636: 630: 628: 624: 619: 618: 613: 607: 605: 601: 596: 595: 590: 583: 580: 575: 574: 569: 563: 560: 555: 554: 553:The Big Issue 549: 542: 540: 538: 534: 519: 515: 510: 498: 494: 490: 479: 475: 470: 459: 455: 450: 439: 435: 430: 429: 425: 422: 415: 409: 406: 404: 401: 399: 396: 395: 393: 391: 388: 386: 383: 381: 378: 377: 373: 371: 369: 365: 361: 357: 353: 352: 345: 341: 339: 331: 329: 325: 323: 318: 316: 312: 307: 305: 301: 295: 293: 285: 283: 280: 276: 274: 269: 267: 263: 262:Just Stop Oil 259: 254: 252: 248: 240: 238: 236: 232: 228: 224: 219: 217: 213: 209: 205: 201: 197: 193: 189: 179: 175: 171: 168: 164: 161: 157: 150: 146: 144: 140: 135: 131: 127: 123: 120: 114: 106: 102: 93: 89: 86: 84:Introduced by 82: 78: 75: 73: 69: 64: 62: 58: 54: 44: 39: 30: 19: 1026:. Retrieved 1021: 1012: 1000:. Retrieved 995: 986: 974:. Retrieved 967: 958: 946:. Retrieved 942: 930: 918:. Retrieved 913: 904: 897: 896:(section 2) 889: 877:. Retrieved 867: 856: 847: 838:The Guardian 836: 827: 816: 807: 798:The Guardian 796: 787: 775:. Retrieved 771:The Guardian 770: 760: 741: 730: 720: 709: 700: 691:The Guardian 689: 680: 668:. Retrieved 663:the Guardian 661: 640:The Guardian 638: 615: 592: 582: 571: 562: 551: 521:. Retrieved 517: 501:. Retrieved 496: 481:. Retrieved 478:The National 477: 461:. Retrieved 458:the Guardian 457: 441:. Retrieved 437: 424: 349: 347: 343: 335: 326: 319: 308: 296: 289: 281: 277: 270: 255: 244: 220: 212:royal assent 195: 191: 187: 185: 143:Royal assent 29: 976:18 December 670:18 December 364:Volker Türk 206:which gave 88:Priti Patel 1044:Categories 1028:23 October 1002:23 October 523:23 October 503:23 October 483:23 October 463:23 October 443:23 October 416:References 315:voice vote 247:locking on 147:2 May 2023 61:Long title 332:Criticism 304:free vote 818:BBC News 773:. London 497:BBC News 374:See also 198:, is an 194:and the 126:Scotland 72:Citation 1022:Reuters 948:4 April 879:17 June 777:17 July 752:Reuters 617:Esquire 202:of the 96:Commons 920:2 July 366:, the 340:said: 264:, and 939:(PDF) 137:Dates 109:Lords 79:c. 15 1030:2023 1004:2023 978:2022 950:2024 922:2023 881:2023 779:2024 711:Vice 672:2022 525:2023 505:2023 485:2023 465:2023 445:2023 362:and 186:The 128:and 77:2023 438:CNN 200:Act 1046:: 1020:. 994:. 966:. 941:. 912:. 855:. 835:. 815:. 795:. 769:. 750:. 729:. 708:. 688:. 660:. 649:^ 637:. 626:^ 614:. 603:^ 591:. 570:. 550:. 536:^ 516:. 495:. 476:. 456:. 436:. 370:. 260:, 218:. 103:, 90:, 1032:. 1006:. 980:. 952:. 924:. 883:. 781:. 754:. 735:. 674:. 597:. 556:. 527:. 507:. 487:. 467:. 447:. 180:. 111:) 107:( 98:) 94:( 20:)

Index

Public Order Bill
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title
Citation
2023
Priti Patel
Secretary of State for the Home Department
The Lord Sharpe of Epsom
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department
England and Wales
Scotland
Northern Ireland
Royal assent
History of passage through Parliament
Text of statute as originally enacted
Text of the Public Order Act 2023
legislation.gov.uk
Act
Parliament of the United Kingdom
law enforcement agencies in the United Kingdom
royal assent
King Charles III
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
House of Lords
Joint Committee on Human Rights
chilling effect
locking on
stop and search
Extinction Rebellion
Just Stop Oil

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