Police demo banned in Parliament Square?
This story in the Telegraph reports that the police were banned, during their recent demonstration, from marching through Parliament Square:
Although they have been banned from marching through Parliament Square, they will vent their spleen by walking past the Marsham Street offices of Jacqui Smith, the Home Secretary.
Harry wonders why this condition was imposed. It can’t have been SOCPA, before anyone says that, because, although the act requires potential malcontents to request authorisation to demonstrate, it does not permit the police to refuse permission. This, then, must have been a restriction imposed under the Public Order Act 1986. Unfortunately, the POA does not require the police to give reasons for imposing conditions upon protests. It merely requires that they have a “reasonable belief” that conditions are necessary.
This system does not provide enough protection against abuse. It is not transparent or accountable. It should be changed: it is one of the things I included in my response to the consultation on protest around Parliament that concluded last month.
If they won’t let thousands of Police officers near Parliament, what hope is there for the rest of us?
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