Policy paper

Crime and Policing Act 2026: public order police powers factcheet

Published 11 May 2026

What are we going to do?

Strengthen police powers to manage intimidatory protests near places of worship.

Enable senior police commanders to exercise powers to impose conditions on protests.

Ensure that the British Transport Police (BTP) have the power to impose conditions on public and trespassory assemblies at railway stations.

Ensure that the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) can issue authorisations enabling the exercise of certain public order and stop and search powers within its jurisdiction.

Place a new duty on senior police officers to consider the cumulative impact of repeat protests in the same location which cause significant disruption to the life of a local community.

How are we going to do it?

Places of Worship

This measure will allow police to impose conditions on protests where a senior officer reasonably believes that the protest may create an intimidating atmosphere for those seeking to access a place of worship. This applies regardless of whether the protest organisers intended to have that effect.

Senior officers imposing conditions on protests

This measure enables Strategic (Gold) and Tactical (Silver) commanders, who are often based at off-site control rooms, to impose conditions on a live public procession or assembly. The most senior officer at the scene of a protest will still be able to apply conditions.

BTP/MDP amendments

BTP officers will have the ability to exercise powers under sections 14 and 14A of the Public Order Act 1986 to impose conditions on public and trespassory assemblies at railway stations, and under section 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 to require the removal of disguises.

Additionally, MDP will now be able to issue authorisations under sections 60 and 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 for stop and search in anticipation of or after violence, and powers to require the removal of disguises.

These changes will enable BTP and MDP officers to exercise the existing powers under these provisions within their jurisdiction.

Cumulative disruption

This provision will place a duty on the police to consider imposing conditions on protests under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, where it is reasonably believed that the combined effect of repeated or sustained protest activity may result in serious disruption to the life of the community. This assessment will take account of the overall impact of protests over time, rather than requiring each individual protest to meet the threshold of serious disruption on its own.

Background

Places of Worship

Following the events in Israel and Gaza on 7 October 2023, the UK has seen a wave of large-scale protests. While the right to protests is a vital part of our democracy, there is still a need to strengthen the balance between this right and the ability for religious communities to worship freely and without fear.

Existing legislation gives the police the power to manage protests that involve serious disruption to the life of the community or intentional intimidation; however, these thresholds do not always reflect the experiences of those affected by protest activity near places of worship. The new measure will allow the police to impose conditions on public processions, public assemblies and one-person protests near places of worship where they reasonably believe protest activity may intimidate and deter individuals from accessing or participating in religious activities. Such conditions may, for example, require protests to be diverted away from a place of worship.

Senior officers imposing conditions on protests

Current legislation gives only the most senior police officer physically present at the scene powers to impose conditions on live public processions and assemblies. The new measure will allow senior commanders, who are often based at off-site control rooms with access to a broader operational picture, to act quickly and consistently in managing protests. The most senior officer at the scene of a protest will still be able to apply conditions, such as start and finish times.

This change aims to improve the timeliness, consistency and overall effectiveness of public order policing by ensuring that those with the best operational oversight can make swift and informed decisions. It will enhance the police’s ability to respond to live protests and ensure better coherence in protest management.

BTP/MDP amendments

The rise in protests around railway stations and defence infrastructure has highlighted operational gaps in BTP and MDP powers. This has impacted their ability to manage public order and keep the public safe. The changes made by the Act enable BTP and MDP to exercise powers that are already available to territorial forces in England and Wales.

Cumulative disruption

The UK has seen a sustained increase in protest activity in recent years, with some locations experiencing repeated demonstrations over extended periods. While protest is a cornerstone of a democratic society, frequent or prolonged protests in the same area can place substantial pressure on local communities.

Existing public order legislation enables the police to impose conditions where a single protest is expected to cause serious disruption. However, it does not always adequately capture situations where multiple protests, each lawful in isolation, collectively create prolonged disruption. This measure is intended to address that gap, requiring the police to consider the cumulative effect of protest activity when determining whether conditions are necessary and proportionate.

Key statistics

Religious hate crimes rose by 3% in the year ending March 2025.^{[footnote 1]} Within religious hate crimes, there was a 19% rise in hate crimes targeted at Muslims, with a spike in these offences following the Southport murders and the subsequent disorder

Religious hate crimes by rates per population show that there were 106 religious hate crimes per 10,000 population targeted at Jewish people in the last year, by far the highest rate for any religious group. The next highest rate was for hate crimes targeted at Muslims, with 12 per 10,000 population.

Frequently asked questions

Places of Worship

What do you mean by intimidation? What difference will this make to how the police currently apply conditions to protests?  

Under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act (1986) the police must have reasonable belief that the protest may result in serious disruption to the life of the community, serious public disorder, serious damage to property, or where the purpose of those organising the protest is the intimidation of others.  

This amendment will strengthen the police’s ability to manage intimidatory protests near places of worship, by allowing them to impose conditions on a protest specifically if they have a reasonable belief that the protest may result in the intimidation of those seeking to access places of worship.

Why are you seeking to ban protests for legitimate causes? Doesn’t this place the right to religion above the right to protest?  

The Act does not place freedom of religion above the right to protest.   

Instead, it seeks to balance both rights by ensuring protests do not unduly intimidate or prevent individuals from accessing places of worship.   

While the right to protest remains fundamental, these provisions clarify police powers to manage protests near places of worship, ensuring that freedom of religion is protected without imposing a blanket restriction on demonstrations.   

The intent is not to curtail protest rights but to prevent situations where protests create a hostile environment that discourages religious observance, applying equally to all faiths and not just in response to recent events.

Why do the police need more powers to protect places of worship from protests?  

While the police have used these existing provisions to protect access to places of worship on occasion, these powers are considered to have limitations.   

For example, there are examples where members of a religious community have described feeling too intimidated to attend religious services even though the disruption caused by a protest does not meet the threshold for serious disruption within the 1986 Act.

Does this measure apply to all places of worship for all faiths?  

The new provisions apply in relation to all places of worship, regardless of religion.   

Will community centres that are used for worship be protected under this measure? 

Community centres are not automatically covered by the measure. Whether a community centre is treated as a place of worship is a matter for the operationally independent police, based on the facts of each case. 

In exercising their operational judgement, the police will consider the evidence available to them, including whether the community centre is being used for religious worship at the relevant time and whether protest activity may intimidate persons of reasonable firmness and deter them from accessing religious activities. 

What powers are available to protect faith schools from protest activity? 

The police already have powers under the Public Order Act 1986 to impose conditions on protests where a senior officer reasonably believes they may result in intimidation, or serious disruption to the life of the community. This includes protest activity involving noise which causes alarm or distress, and these powers can be used where protest activity risks disrupting access to schools or intimidating pupils, parents or staff. 

In addition, expedited Public Space Protection Orders can be used by local authorities, working with the police, to address protest‑related activity in the vicinity of schools where necessary, including activity involving loud or persistent noise. Decisions on whether to use these powers are taken by the operationally independent police and local authorities on a case‑by‑case basis.

Senior officers imposing conditions on protests

Why is this needed? 

Strategic (Gold) and Tactical (Silver) commanders tend to have a more complete intelligence picture on a given protest event and may often be better placed to determine the appropriate conditions considering a wider set of factors.

What is a strategic or tactical commander? 

Strategic or “Gold” commanders, and Tactical or “Silver” commanders are well understood roles within policing, used in both spontaneous incidents and planned operations.

Non-statutory guidance from the College of Policing sets out the nature of these roles, as part of Authorised Professional Practice.

Aren’t officers at the scene of protest events best placed to apply conditions? 

The decision to apply protest conditions is an operational matter for the police. The most senior officer at the scene of a protest will still be able to apply conditions.

Strategic (Gold) and Tactical (Silver) commanders tend to have a more complete intelligence picture on a given protest event and may often be better placed to determine the appropriate conditions considering a wider set of factors.

BTP/MDP amendments

What will this provision change?

By making these corrective amendments to sections 14A and 16 of the Public Order Act 1986, BTP will be able to use the existing powers under section 14 to impose conditions on public assemblies, and to obtain an order under section 14A to prohibit trespassory assemblies at railway stations with the consent of the Secretary of State. These powers would only be available to BTP within their jurisdiction, including at major stations which are not in the open air.

This will allow BTP to properly police assemblies within their jurisdiction and ensure they are better equipped to prevent disruption to railway services and keep the travelling public and railway staff safe.

For MDP, they will be able to issue authorisations to enable MDP officers to exercise the same powers on stop and search and require a person to remove a disguise, as are already available to other territorial police forces in England and Wales.

Isn’t protest legislation already complicated for officers, won’t this further complicate things?

These changes clarify the exercise of these powers by the BTP within their jurisdiction.

The BTP will balance the right to lawful protest with the rights of others to go about their business without intimidation or serious disruption.

Those protests in railway stations which can proceed lawfully and without causing serious disruption will be allowed to do so. But should offending or serious disruption occur BTP will now be able to consider placing conditions on the assembly or prohibiting it, whichever is the more proportionate response to the likely disruption.

Cumulative disruption

What do you mean by cumulative disruption? How is this different from existing powers?

Cumulative disruption refers to the overall impact of multiple protests occurring over time, where the combined effect significantly interferes with daily life, even if no single protest on its own would meet the threshold for serious disruption.

Currently, under sections 12 and 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, conditions must be justified primarily by the expected impact of an individual protest.

This measure requires the police to consider the pattern, frequency, and duration of protest activity when assessing whether conditions are necessary.

Does this mean protests could be restricted even if they are peaceful?

Peaceful protest remains protected.

The measure does not target the content or cause of a protest, but its impact on the wider community.

Conditions may be imposed only where a senior officer reasonably believes the cumulative effect of protest activity may result in serious disruption or harm, and any restrictions must remain lawful, necessary and proportionate.

Why do the police need additional powers to deal with cumulative disruption?

Existing powers can be difficult to apply where disruption arises gradually rather than from a single event.

This can leave communities experiencing prolonged disruption without an effective or timely response.

The measure provides clarity and flexibility, enabling earlier and more effective intervention where repeated protests are having a material impact on everyday life.

Does this place limits on how often people can protest?

No blanket limits are imposed on protest frequency.

Decisions will be taken on a case‑by‑case basis by the operationally independent police, based on the specific circumstances and evidence available at the time.

The intention is to manage disruption, not to prevent lawful protest activity.

How will the police ensure these powers are used fairly?

As with existing public order powers, any conditions imposed will be subject to the Human Rights Act 1998 and must comply with Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Officers must demonstrate that any restrictions are necessary and proportionate, and decisions remain open to scrutiny and challenge.

Will the cumulative disruption measure affect picketing?

The cumulative disruption measure is not intended to deter lawful industrial action and does not change how the police approach picketing.

Police must continue to exercise their public order powers in a way that is compatible with European Convention on Human Rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

Existing legislation provides specific exemptions from civil liability for peaceful picketing in defined circumstances. These protections are reflected in official guidance, including the Picketing: Code of Practice, which is published on GOV.UK.

1. This does not include Metropolitan Police Service data due to changes to their recording practices. ↩