Recommendation 6

Any clarification of the meaning of ‘serious disruption’ will impact on the use of police powers to restrict the exercise of rights under Articles 10 and 11 ECHR and requires careful scrutiny. At this stage the content of the proposed regulations is unknown, which leaves us unable to assess their likely impact on the right to peaceful protest. If there is a particular clarification of ‘serious disruption’ that the Home Office considers is currently needed, perhaps as a result of the Extinction Rebellion protests of 2019, it should be made clear now so that it can be considered while the Bill is being scrutinised. If no need for particular clarification has yet been identified, then we struggle to see how the powers contained in the PCSC Bill can be considered necessary.