UK Expands Police Powers to Restrict Protests Near Places of Worship

New legislation aims to prevent intimidation of worshippers and criminalize climbing on war memorials, including the upcoming Holocaust memorial.

The UK government has amended the crime and policing bill to grant police greater authority to restrict protests near places of worship if they believe worshippers may be intimidated.
Protest organizers who violate these restrictions could face up to six months in prison or fines, with individuals facing fines of up to £2,500.
Climbing on war memorials, including the forthcoming Holocaust memorial in Westminster, will now be a criminal offense under the updated legislation.
The measures respond to rising antisemitic and Islamophobic incidents and concerns over protests near synagogues and mosques disrupting religious practices.
Religious and community leaders, including the Community Security Trust and the Board of Deputies of British Jews, have welcomed the changes as vital for protecting worshippers' safety.