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Police Powers to Tackle Unauthorised Encampments

The Home Office is expanding police powers to address unauthorised encampments and disruptive protest tactics through amendments to vehicle removal and storage legislation, building on powers introduced in the Public Order Act 2023. The policy aims to balance the right to protest with public order and community safety, following increased scrutiny of protest policing in recent years. Current status involves active consultation on replacement legislation for the Vagrancy Act and consideration of how police powers interact with homelessness and rough sleeping.

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14 Apr 2025 | Committee report linked

We received no evidence to dispute the characterisation of violent disorder between 30 July and 7 August 2024. Many events held during this period began as protests and remained as such. But while some instances of disorder may have originated as protests, they quickly degenerated into violence. In some cases the chosen sites of protests, such as asylum hotels, were at best controversial and at worst an incitement to violence. Police were left with no choice but to prepare for and provide a s...

We received no evidence to dispute the characterisation of violent disorder between 30 July and 7 August 2024. Many events held during this period began as protests and remained as such. But while some instances of disorder may have originated …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
27 Feb 2024 | Committee report linked

There is a balance to be struck between the right of people to protest and the right of others to go about their everyday lives and to feel safe. The police should have the appropriate powers to safeguard the exercise of both these rights. The differing scale, nature and frequency of protests over recent years has led to increased scrutiny of the way in which the right to protest is exercised and policed.

There is a balance to be struck between the right of people to protest and the right of others to go about their everyday lives and to feel safe. The police should have the appropriate powers to safeguard the exercise …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
27 Feb 2024 | Committee report linked

Disruptive tactics by protest organisers led to the Government enacting new legislation to provide the police with more powers, via the Public Order Act 2023. Some of these powers were used for the first time during the policing of the King’s Coronation, but the occasion was not necessarily a good test of the effectiveness of these new powers as it did not involve large-scale use of the kind of tactics the Act was intended to address.

Disruptive tactics by protest organisers led to the Government enacting new legislation to provide the police with more powers, via the Public Order Act 2023. Some of these powers were used for the first time during the policing of the …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
27 Feb 2024 | Committee report linked

Whilst we respect the right to protest, we are clear that no one, including elected representatives, their families, and their staff, should be made to feel unsafe by protest activity outside their home. Likewise, no one should be intimidated when they are coming and going from their place of work. AC Twist said: “Places of work seem to be a legitimate place to protest.” However, MPs have raised concerns about the impact on the staff who work in their offices, who are facing intimidation and ...

Whilst we respect the right to protest, we are clear that no one, including elected representatives, their families, and their staff, should be made to feel unsafe by protest activity outside their home. Likewise, no one should be intimidated when …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
27 Feb 2024 | Committee report linked

There is clearly a balance to be struck between the right of people to protest and the right of people to go about their daily lives. We wholeheartedly support both these rights and recognise that finding the balance between competing rights can be challenging, particularly in terms of operational policing on the ground. In the context of the policing of recent Israel-Gaza protests, as with the policing of the King’s Coronation protests, we conclude that this balance was generally maintained,...

There is clearly a balance to be struck between the right of people to protest and the right of people to go about their daily lives. We wholeheartedly support both these rights and recognise that finding the balance between competing …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
27 Feb 2024 | Committee report linked

The repetitive nature of the recent large Israel-Gaza protests places considerable resource constraints on the police. This places additional pressure on the Met, which, having failed to meet the Uplift target, already struggles to meet the regular demands of policing London. The protests further drain police resource with more than 4,000 cancelled rest-days, and the same police officers being deployed week in, week out. We are concerned both about the effect on other aspects of policing, and...

The repetitive nature of the recent large Israel-Gaza protests places considerable resource constraints on the police. This places additional pressure on the Met, which, having failed to meet the Uplift target, already struggles to meet the regular demands of policing …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK
27 Feb 2024 | Committee report linked

Should these protests continue week after week, the Home Office should consider amending requirements for protest organisers, such as increasing the notice period for protest organisers to inform the police from the current six days, to allow the police to prepare better.

Should these protests continue week after week, the Home Office should consider amending requirements for protest organisers, such as increasing the notice period for protest organisers to inform the police from the current six days, to allow the police to …

▤ View document · ↗ GOV.UK