Rules of Public Order Bill as Met Police express ‘regret’ over anti-monarchy group arrests under new law

Six anti-monarchy protesters were arrested by police ahead of the King’s coronation following the introduction of a Public Order Act, in a move branded as “incredibly alarming”.

The highly controversial law passed through Parliament on 26 April and gives police the power to break up slow walking “disruptive” climate protests and more leeway to intervene when protesters attempt to block roads.

The government said the new law is required because the police lack clarity on when existing powers can be used and it will stop “selfish” protesters who “wreak havoc”.

Six people, including chief executive of anti-monarchy group Republic Graham Smith, were arrested on Saturday (6 May) as hundreds of people gathered to protest against the King’s coronation in Trafalgar Square waving placards with the words ‘The People’s Princess’ and ‘Not my King’.

The Met Police said Mr Smith along with five others were arrested for carrying ‘lock on devices’. The new law includes sentences of up to six months or unlimited fines for protesters accused of “locking on” to buildings, objects, or people.

The Met later expressed “regret” over the arrest of the six anti-monarchy protesters, deciding no charges will be brought against them. Scotland Yard released a lengthy statement on Monday (8 May) explaining they were arrested under the Public Order Act.

Mr Smith has demanded a “full inquiry” on who authorised the arrests that prevented the group expressing their dissent during the “disgraceful episode”.

Human Rights Watch UK director Yasmine Ahmed said the coronation arrests were  “incredibly alarming” and “something you would expect to see in Moscow not London”.

In February, House of Lords peers had stripped out a clause of the Public Order Bill that aimed to tackle tactics used by environmental groups. But Home Secretary Suella Braverman has now introduced a statutory instrument linked to the bill to “empower police to intervene against highly disruptive slow marching tactics used to block roads and cause chaos”.

It comes after a series of slow marches were held by Just Stop Oil in central London on Thursday (27 April).

Scotland Yard said that after being warned they were “causing serious and unreasonable disruption” under the Public Order Bill, protesters “complied and moved out of the road” and no arrests were made.

What is the new legislation?

The Home Office said that a statutory instrument linked to the bill will allow police to intervene against “highly disruptive slow marching tactics” that block roads.

It will set out the legal meaning of “serious disruption”, aiming to make clear their new powers can apply to slow walking.

The new law specifies that officers should be able to take into account the cumulative impact of disruption, and whether people are prevented from carrying out day-to-day activities.

They will also be able to take into account the wider geographical impact of protests, rather than just the impact on people who live and work in the area.

Braverman said it would "clearly define" when police can step in to stop "selfish" protestors "wreaking havoc in people’s everyday lives".

The legislation will have to be approved by the Commons and Lords before it comes into effect, a process that normally takes several weeks.

Braverman said: “Not only will the Public Order Bill, passed yesterday by parliament, introduce new criminal offences for causing serious disruption, this new legislation permits the police to clear the roads of slow marching protesters who are hell-bent on causing chaos across the UK.”

What are the rules of the Public Order Bill?

The new law will grant police new powers, allowing them to take a more “proactive” approach to disruptive protests.

This includes making obstructing a major transport network an offence. Interfering with infrastructure, such as airports, railways, and oil refineries will carry sentences of up to 12 months in prison.

The bill would also involve sentences of up to six months or unlimited fines for protesters accused of “locking on” to buildings, objects, or people.

A penalty of up to three years would be given to those tunnelling under infrastructure to cause damage.

The government said the new law will allow the police to more effectively tackle "disruptive and dangerous" tactics used by protestors.

But it has been heavily criticised by civil rights groups and charities as an unfair crackdown on freedom of expression and the right to protest. All opposition parties voted against the laws.

The United Nations high commissioner for human rights called for the UK to reverse the law, branding it “deeply troubling legislation that is incompatible with international human rights obligations”.

Volker Türk said: “This new law imposes serious and undue restrictions on these rights that are neither necessary nor proportionate to achieve a legitimate purpose as defined under international law.

“This law is wholly unnecessary as UK police already have the powers to act against violent and disruptive demonstrations.”