UK Grants Police New Powers to Restrict Repeated Protests, Citing 'Cumulative Impact'

Government Introduces New Protest Restrictions

The United Kingdom government announced on Sunday, October 5, 2025, plans to grant police new powers aimed at restricting repeated protests. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood confirmed that these changes would allow law enforcement to consider the 'cumulative impact' of demonstrations when imposing conditions on future events. The move is intended to 'close a gap in the law' and enable communities to 'go about their daily business without feeling intimidated'.

Details of Enhanced Police Authority

The new powers will be implemented through amendments to Sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986. Under these provisions, senior police officers will be able to assess the history of protest activity in a specific location. If a protest has caused 'repeated disorder' or 'cumulative disruption' over time, police will have the authority to:

• Instruct organisers to hold the event at a different location.
• Restrict the duration or timing of the protest.

Anyone found to be in breach of these new conditions will face arrest and prosecution. The Home Secretary also indicated a broader review of existing protest legislation to ensure powers are sufficient and consistently applied across police forces.

Rationale Behind the Decision

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood emphasised that while the right to protest is a 'fundamental freedom' in the UK, it must be balanced with the 'freedom of their neighbours to live their lives without fear'. She stated that 'large, repeated protests can leave sections of our country, particularly religious communities, feeling unsafe, intimidated and scared to leave their homes.'

The announcement follows a significant pro-Palestine Action demonstration in central London on Saturday, October 4, 2025, where nearly 500 people were arrested. This event proceeded despite calls for it to be reconsidered in the wake of a synagogue attack in Manchester earlier in the week. The government highlighted the 'considerable fear' within the Jewish community as a factor in the decision.

Political Reaction and Broader Context

The proposed changes have drawn criticism from opposition parties. The Liberal Democrats and the Green Party have voiced concerns. Green Party leader Zack Polanski described the measures as a 'grim and dangerous' overreach, while Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Max Wilkinson argued that they would 'do nothing' to tackle antisemitism and would 'undermine the fundamental right to peaceful protest'.

This development occurs amidst ongoing scrutiny of protest legislation in the UK. Recent High Court rulings in May 2024 and May 2025 found that former Home Secretary Suella Braverman had acted unlawfully by attempting to lower the threshold for 'serious disruption' to 'more than minor' disruption, using statutory instruments. These previous attempts to expand police powers were successfully challenged, highlighting the legal complexities surrounding protest rights in the country.