Overview

• Michael O’Flaherty told Shabana Mahmood that current and proposed measures risk excessive limits on peaceful assembly and called for a comprehensive legal review.
• He raised specific concerns over Crime and Policing Bill plans to criminalise concealing identity at protests and to restrict demonstrations near places of worship, questioning necessity and clarity.
• Mahmood is proposing amendments to Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act to let police factor the cumulative impact of frequent demonstrations when imposing conditions.
• The government is considering additional powers, with Mahmood indicating new authorities to ban demonstrations outright are under review.
• Police have made hundreds of arrests at single events, including about 488–500 in London, with reports of roughly 2,000 arrests overall since the Palestine Action proscription, as a High Court challenge to the ban approaches next month.