Policy paper

Defending democracy policing protocol

Published 28 February 2024

In recent months, we have witnessed attempts to hijack legitimate protests and subvert the democratic process. Elected representatives have been threatened and had their family homes targeted. Council meetings have been repeatedly disrupted and, in some cases, abandoned. Constituency fundraisers of different political parties have been overrun. Last Wednesday, protestors threatened to force Parliament to “lock its doors”.

These are not isolated incidents or legitimate means of achieving change through force of peaceful argument. They are part of a pattern of increasingly intimidatory behaviour seemingly intended to shout down and coerce elected representatives and hijack the democratic process through force itself. It is as un-British as it is undemocratic. If public confidence is to be maintained and the integrity of the democratic process is to be preserved, it cannot be allowed to stand.

The Prime Minister, Home Secretary, Policing Minister and Security Minister today met senior policing leaders to discuss how police forces could be supported to protect the democratic process from intimidation, disruption or subversion. Police partners reaffirmed their commitment to upholding democratic processes and their duties to the Human Rights Act 1998. As a result, drawing on £31m of additional funding for the protection of the democratic process and elected representatives, the Home Office, National Police Chiefs Council, Association of PCCs and College of Policing have agreed the new Defending Democracy Policing Protocol, which includes the following commitments:

1. Police forces in England and Wales are to ensure all officers are following the Operation BRIDGER guidance and minimum standards which incorporates the NPCC national protocol on the intimidation of MPs. When notified of an upcoming event at least 48 hours beforehand, police forces will commit to engaging with the organisers to ensure an appropriate policing response can be put in place where needed alongside any measures provided by Parliament prior to dissolution or government during the pre-election period. This will apply to MPs and candidates in the run up to the general election. Further to this, all police forces will appoint a senior officer (at least Superintendent level) who will ensure all candidates can receive a security briefing.

2. Protests at the home addresses of elected representatives, including MPs and councillors, should generally be considered to be intimidatory, and the police have adequate powers, including Section 42 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001, to direct protestors away.

3. Protests at representatives’ parties’ offices, democratic venues (such as Parliament or Town Halls) or at political events (such as constituency fundraisers or meetings) should not be allowed to (i) prevent or inhibit the use of the venue, attendance at the event or access to and from it or (ii) cause alarm, harassment or distress to attendees through the use of threatening or abusive words or disorderly behaviour, in keeping with public order laws.

4. Based on police force assessments of local threats and risk, each force will closely monitor intelligence and community tensions and engage regularly with elected members. In addition to existing police responses, through a new local communities fund, police forces will provide additional patrols in local communities in response to potential flashpoints, bolstering police visibility and public confidence. This can include deployments at MPs’ personal residences and constituency offices to prevent criminal damage, graffiti and unlawful protests. Intimidatory protests should trigger an immediate response.

5. The government will provide additional funding to ensure all  MPs, and on a needs basis wider elected representatives including Police and Crime Commissioners, Mayors, local councillors and candidates, will have a dedicated named police contact for raising concerns and liaising on security, expanding the existing Operation BRIDGER network.

6. The College of Policing will issue new guidance with the support of the Crown Prosecution Service to all police officers on the policing of democratic events, including surgeries, fundraisers and protests, including in Parliament Square, to ensure all officers know their powers and have clear guidance on when to use them. The College of Policing will work with forces across England and Wales to ensure that forces are aware of the steps that they can take to minimise the impact of these protests.

7. We will ask every Police and Crime Commissioner and Chief Constable to report back on how they have implemented these measures by April. The Home Office will work with HMICFRS through their upcoming consultations on their 2025 to 2027 PEEL assessment framework and 2025 to 2027 Inspection Programme Framework to explore how the inspectorate can monitor police forces’ implementation of College of Policing guidance on the policing of democratic events, giving recommendations and areas for improvement where improvements are needed.

The Home Office and police partners will continue to work closely with all those who have shared responsibility for the safety and security of elected representatives, including other government departments and the Parliamentary authorities. We encourage all elected representatives to play their part, and to engage with the police and relevant authorities where security support or a police response is required.