ship to secure during protest
Related key legislation (and most recent changes)
Core framework (England & Wales) Public Order Act 1986 (POA 1986) – powers to impose conditions on processions (s12) and assemblies (s14) and advance-notice rules for processions (s11). “One-person protests” can also be conditioned (s14ZA).
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 (PCSC Act) – widened when and how conditions can be set (including a noise trigger), and clarified examples of “serious disruption” under POA 1986.
• Welfare: Remind colleagues of support routes. In particular, remind them that filming/photography in public is generally lawful; advise on privacy, and how to report concerns. However, if you do see people taking photos or filming your premises, entry and egress points, this may be suspicious, and should be reported.
Working with police – Before, During and After
Before
Share site risks and constraints with your neighbourhood policing teams. Provide key contacts, pinch-points, evacuation constraints and any critical operations time windows to facilitate Bronze–Silver– Gold planning, as laid out in national protest operational advice from the College of Policing and National Police Chiefs’ Council.
During
• Appoint an informed single point of contact to provide live updates to the on- site police commander: Use this named liaison to feed police real-time impacts (for example, crowding, near-misses, damage, or intimidation).
• Evidence preservation: Keep an incident log and preserve CCTV/notes to help assist any future investigations. For example, police may pursue offences such as public nuisance, highway obstruction, Public Order Act 2023 offences depending on proportionality.
After
Structured debrief: Participate in post- event reviews with local police and partners.
Superintendent Jesse Wynne City of London Police
Common terms around protest and related offences
• Breach of conditions on processions, assemblies, one-person protests (Public Order Act 1986 ss12/14/14ZA).
• Wilful obstruction of the highway, public nuisance, aggravated trespass (various statutes/common law).
• Locking-on/equipped, tunnelling, interference with key national infrastructure, obstructing major transport works; stop and search powers (with/without suspicion) – Public Order Act 2023 offences.
• SDPOs – Serious Disruption Prevention Orders (breach is a criminal offence once an order is made).
© CITY SECURITY MAGAZINE – SPRING 2026
www.citysecuritymagazine.com
Public Order Act 2023 (POA 2023) – introduced new protest-related offences: locking-on/being equipped to lock-on, tunnelling, interference with key national infrastructure, obstruction of major transport works; expanded stop and search powers; created Serious Disruption Prevention Orders (SDPOs).
Recent court rulings on “serious disruption” under POA 1986
The High Court (May 2024) quashed the 2023 regulations that had defined “serious disruption” as “more than minor”, finding the Home Secretary acted ultra vires. The Court of Appeal (May 2025) upheld that ruling. Practically: police still rely on the statutory “serious” threshold in POA 1986, not “more than minor.”
The Crime and Policing Bill (2025/26) factsheet confirms planned new offences/powers: possession of pyrotechnics at protests, climbing specified war memorials/monuments, and a designated-area power to require removal of face coverings linked to protest-related offending. (Check commencement before use.)
Operational doctrine College of Policing Public
Order/Public Safety (POPS) APP and National Protest Operational Advice (NPCC/College) remain the operational baseline for planning, command and engagement.
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