Key legislation
The police have a duty to protect and promote lawful protest. However, the police also have a duty to intervene where the law is broken during the course of a protest.
To support the work of police forces, NETCU produces a pocket legislation guide, which is designed to provide operational constables with easy access to basic legislation and police powers for some of the common offences that may be committed during protests.
The guide is designed for police use only, but you may find it useful to find out about some of the legislation involved in the policing of protest. Remember it is not an exhaustive account of the law and each police force will have its own policies and procedures for dealing with protest situations. Officers are expected to take into account all relevant laws, including Human Rights legislation, when dealing with protest situations.
