Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said forces will be able to factor in the “cumulative impact” of repeat protests, giving them more power to restrict demonstrations
Police forces will be given more powers by the Government to restrict repeat protests.
Senior cops will be able to factor in the “cumulative impact” of previous protests – which means organisers could be told to hold events somewhere else if a site has seen repeated demonstrations.
The move comes after nearly 500 people were arrested on Saturday (October 4) during a protest against Palestine Action being made a terror organisation.
Police had asked Defend Our Juries, the organisers of the demo, to postpone the rally because resources would be stretched after two men were killed in an attack at a synagogue in Manchester on Thursday (October 2).
However, a statement beforehand said the group hoped police “choose to prioritise protecting the public from real terrorism, and not waste resources on enforcing the absurd and ridiculous ban on Palestine Action”.
The Home Office said these new powers to impose conditions on repeated protests will be “brought forward as soon as possible”. Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said while the right to protest is fundamental “this freedom must be balanced with the freedom of their neighbours to live their lives without fear”.
The Home Secretary will also carry out a review of current protest legislation to “ensure powers are sufficient and being applied consistently.”
This will include powers to ban protests outright, the government said.
When asked about the protests, Mahmood said: “I think just because you have a freedom doesn’t mean to say you have to use it at every moment of every day.
“Those people could have just waited a day or two and given people the chance to grieve and process what has happened.”
Hundreds of people joined a rally in Manchester marking the two-year anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel.
North West Friends of Israel decided to go ahead with the pre-planned event amid safety concerns in the wake of the terror attack on a synagogue in the city on Thursday, with crowds gathered outside Manchester Cathedral on Sunday morning.
People waved Israel flags and some held banners calling for the release of the hostages, including Alon Ohel, a 24-year-old musician.
Police and security guards from the Community Security Trust charity monitored the event, which also commemorated 53-year-old Adrian Daulby and Melvin Cravitz, 66, who died at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue.
Three men are still in hospital after the car and knife attack.
Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, who was on bail for an alleged rape, was shot dead by police on Thursday as he targeted the place of worship on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar.
It is believed Mr Daulby was shot dead by police while trying to stop Al-Shamie from entering the synagogue during the attack.
Mr Cravitz, from Crumpsall, died helping prevent the attacker from entering the premises.
Several arrests have been made in relation to the attack and Mahmood said four people remained in custody on Sunday morning (5 October).
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch backed the new protest powers but questioned why it had taken so long and said the government must prove it had the backs of Jewish people.
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