Use of Section 14 of the Public Order Act between June 2022 and March 2025

Response

We have identified one occasion between June 2022 and March 2025 on which conditions were imposed under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986. This was on 03 August 2022.

 

Please see attached two documents containing the information held: the Police Notice and Map setting out the conditions and restrictions imposed.

 

In addition, please see below the relevant extract from the Silver Tactical Plan for this event, regarding the use of Section 14 in this case:

 

Silver Tactical Plan extract:

• A notice under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 has been authorised by the Chief Constable. This will be served on the protestors as they arrive at Avonmouth Docks. This will be served under the direction of Bronze and will be evidenced on video. It will be served to each individual and a printed copy provided at the time. The restrictions ensure the rights of the protestors to one gate as well as limit the time they can be there.

Section 14 Public Order Act 1986 (Conditions on public assembly) allows the senior police officer to give directions imposing on the persons organising or taking part in an assembly such conditions as to the place at which the assembly may be (or continue to be) held, its maximum duration, or the maximum number of persons who may constitute it and that the senior officer reasonably believes that such conditions will prevent serious disorder, damage, disruption to the life of the community or the purposes of those organising is the intimidation of others.  A person who knowingly fails to comply with a condition imposed under this section is guilty of an offence, but it is a defence for him to prove that the failure arose from circumstances beyond his control.  This includes anyone inciting another to commit an offence.

 

A Memorandum of Understanding will be considered with the event organisers, a request will be made from the Gold Commander to consider the issuance of the relevant notices in advance of the event in line with adopting a ‘no surprises’ approach.  In case the need to issue section 12/14 notices on the day arises, the planning team will have identified the hierarchical seniority of all officers (based on rank, time in rank, length of service and age) to ensure any conditions imposed are done so lawfully.

 

1. From 28^thJune 2022, the 2022 Act amends sections 14 of the Public Order Act 1986.
2. Significant changes to bring assemblies more in line with the law on processions and to include ‘one-person’ assemblies within the provisions
3. As with section 12 of the 1986 Act, section 14 will now contain the new ‘trigger’ for imposing conditions on assemblies in England and Wales. This trigger is the same as for processions.
4. Again, the police may then impose such conditions on the assembly as appear to the officer necessary to prevent the disorder, damage, disruption, impactor intimidation mentioned as are necessary to prevent an “impact” that it is believed may result. Extends the previous provisions, which limited the powers to conditions as to the location, maximum duration and maximum numbers of participants.

 

 

No further information within the scope of your request is held in relation to the use of Section 14 on 03 August 2022.

 

While we have not identified any other instances of these powers being used in the timeframe of your request, it would not be possible to confirm whether any further relevant information is held regarding the use of Section 14 in the specified timeframe, without a manual review of records. We estimate this would take more than 18 hours to complete, resulting in a refusal under Section 12(1) relating to costs. We have sought instead to assist as far as possible by providing relevant information held in relation to the one instance we have identified as falling within the scope of your request.

 

To assist further, I can advise that information that may be of interest relating to use of Section 14 in October 2025 – outside the timeframe of your request – has been published here.