Public Order Flashcards
(46 cards)
What is the aim of Public Order?
Public order aims to balance Art 10 (expression) and Art 11 (assembly)
Which act amended the Public Order Act 1986?
PCSC 2022
Marches/Procession
What is Section 11 about?
- States the duties of Organiser of march.
-Police must be given 6 days notice of a march.
To not give a s.11 notice or deviate from its details is a criminal offence.
What are the defences to a s.11?
- The march deviated from its original plan and the organiser did not suspect it OR
- The march deviated from its original plan and the organiser could not control this.
What is Section 12 about?
Include 5 Triggers
- Police are given power to impose conditions regarding time and place of a procession if they think it may result it:
- Serious public disorder
- Serious damage to property
- Serious disruption to the life of the community
- Belief in the presence of intimidation or coercion
- Noise caused by the protesters dirupts the activities of an organisation
- Noise causes harassment,intimidation, alarm or distress
The PCSC Act 2022 gives examples of what might amount to ‘serious disruption to the life of the community’
These include…
- Significant delay to the delivery of a time-sensitive product to the consumer
- Prolonged disruption of access to any essential goods or services, sucb as money, food, water , energy or fuel.
Which triggers were added by PCSC 2022?
- Noise disrupting organisations
- Noise causing harassment,intimidation, alarm or distress
Which case showed that s.12 is not easy to trigger?
Reid (1987)
D raised hands and shouted during a march, and whilst it caused discomfort it was not enough to be intimidating.
What is Section 13 about?
- A blanket ban can be imposed on marches on application of the police, with the HS consent.
- A ban must be imposed if it is thought that it may result in a serious public disorder.
Why do the police use S.13?
- Police use s.13 if they believe the powers under s.12 are inadequate.
(any conditions imposed will not be able to control the march)
What can happen if you organise a march knowing of a ban?
Arrested under s.13 (10)
What is Section 16 about?
- The police have the power to impose conditions on assemblies which are held wholly or partly in the open air, and arrest those who dont comply.
What is an assembly?
s.16 states an assembly is 1 or more persons wholly or partly in the open air, where a common purpose is discussed.
What is Section 14 about?
- The police can impose conditions on public assemblies.
- Uses the same 6 triggers as for s.12
What is the difference in S.11 for protests and assemblies?
Assemblies do not require notice (s.11)
Outline the Public Order Act 2023.
- Aims to limit nuisance/disruption caused to the general public by protest.
The new offences and powers in the act significantly limit art 10, and art 11.
What is Section 1-2 of POA 2023?
INCLUDE AR AND MR
Locking on or coming equipped to lock on.
AR: Attaching yourself, another or an object to a person, object or land.
MR: with intention to cause serious disruption
What is ‘Serious disruption’ defined as anything more than a minor disruption to…
- Day to day activities
- Construction
- Time sensitive delivery
- Access to essential goods or services
POA 2023
What is Section 6 about?
Obstructing or interfering with major transports works.
POA 2023
When is an offence committed under s.6?
- Obstructs individuals from maintaining or constructing major transport works.
2.Interferes with apparatus for construction or maintenence of the works
E.g.Climbing on a train , or on the train tracks
POA 2023
What is S.7 about?
Interference with key national infrastructure.
It criminalises any behaviour which prevents or delays use of roads, railways, airports, harbours, oil, gas or electricity.
POA 2023
What is the AR and MR for S.7.
AR: any action which interferes with use or operation of key national infrastructure.
MR: Intention or recklessness as to whether actions would interfere.
E.g. closing down of a factory
CJPOA 1994
What does Section 14 A-C talk about?
- Tresspassory assemblies
CJPOA 1994
Who can ban tresspasory assemblies?
And what are the limits to the ban?
- The chief of police/Home secretary/Local authourity can can ban assemblies of 20 or more persons on land in the open air to which the public has no, or only limited right access to, where it is deemed theyre trespassing.
- The ban must not exceed more than 4 days, and exceed an area represented by a cirlce with a 5 mile radius from a specified area.