Search Legislation

Advanced Search

Public Order Act 1986

Changes to legislation:

Public Order Act 1986 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 21 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

Close

Changes to Legislation

Revised legislation carried on this site may not be fully up to date. Changes and effects are recorded by our editorial team in lists which can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area. Where those effects have yet to be applied to the text of the legislation by the editorial team they are also listed alongside the affected provisions when you open the content using the Table of Contents below.

View outstanding changes

Changes and effects yet to be applied to :

Changes and effects yet to be applied to the whole Act associated Parts and Chapters:

Whole provisions yet to be inserted into this Act (including any effects on those provisions):

  1. Introductory Text

  2. Part I New Offences

    1. 1. Riot.

    2. 2. Violent disorder.

    3. 3. Affray.

    4. 4. Fear or provocation of violence.

    5. 4A. Intentional harassment, alarm or distress.

    6. 5. Harassment, alarm or distress.

    7. 6. Mental element: miscellaneous.

    8. 7. Procedure: miscellaneous.

    9. 8. Interpretation.

    10. 9. Offences abolished.

    11. 10. Construction of other instruments.

  3. Part II Processions and Assemblies

    1. 11. Advance notice of public processions.

    2. 12.Imposing conditions on public processions.

    3. 13. Prohibiting public processions.

    4. 14.Imposing conditions on public assemblies.

    5. 14ZA.Imposing conditions on one-person protests

    6. 14A.Prohibiting trespassory assemblies.

    7. 14B. Offences in connection with trespassory assemblies and arrest therefor.

    8. 14C. Stopping persons from proceeding to trespassory assemblies.

    9. 15.Delegation.

    10. 16. Interpretation.

  4. Part III Racial Hatred

    1. Meaning of “racial hatred”

      1. 17. Meaning of “racial hatred”.

    2. Acts intended or likely to stir up racial hatred

      1. 18.Use of words or behaviour or display of written material.

      2. 19.Publishing or distributing written material.

      3. 20.Public performance of play.

      4. 21.Distributing, showing or playing a recording.

      5. 22.Broadcasting or including programme in cable programme service.

    3. Racially inflammatory material

      1. 23.Possession of racially inflammatory material.

      2. 24. Powers of entry and search.

      3. 25.Power to order forfeiture.

    4. Supplementary provisions

      1. 26. Savings for reports of parliamentary or judicial proceedings.

      2. 27. Procedure and punishment.

      3. 28. Offences by corporations.

      4. 29.Interpretation.

  5. Part 3A Hatred against persons on religious grounds or grounds of sexual orientation

    1. Meaning of “religious hatred” and “hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation”

      1. 29A.Meaning of “religious hatred”

      2. 29AB.Meaning of “hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation”

    2. Acts intended to stir up religious hatred or hatred on the grounds of sexual orientation

      1. 29B.Use of words or behaviour or display of written material

      2. 29C.Publishing or distributing written material

      3. 29D.Public performance of play

      4. 29E.Distributing, showing or playing a recording

      5. 29F.Broadcasting or including programme in programme service

    3. Inflammatory material

      1. 29G.Possession of inflammatory material

      2. 29H.Powers of entry and search

      3. 29I.Power to order forfeiture

      4. 29J.Protection of freedom of expression

      5. 29JA.Protection of freedom of expression (sexual orientation)

    4. Supplementary provisions

      1. 29K.Savings for reports of parliamentary or judicial proceedings

      2. 29L.Procedure and punishment

      3. 29M.Offences by corporations

      4. 29N.Interpretation

  6. Part IV

    1. 30–37.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

  7. Part V Miscellaneous and General

    1. 38. Contamination of or interference with goods with intention of causing public alarm or anxiety, etc.

    2. 39. Power to direct trespassers to leave land.

    3. 40. Amendments, repeals and savings.

    4. 41. Commencement.

    5. 42. Extent

    6. 43. Short title.

  8. SCHEDULES

    1. SCHEDULE 1

      Sporting Events

      1. Part I England and Wales

        1. Introduction

          1. 1.The Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc.) Act 1985 shall...

        2. Vehicles

          1. 2.The following shall be inserted after section 1 (offences in...

        3. Fireworks etc.

          1. 3.The following shall be inserted after section 2 (offences in...

        4. Licensing etc.

          1. 4.The following shall be inserted after section 5— Private facilities...

        5. Supplementary

          1. 5.In sections 2 and 3, after subsection (1) insert—

          2. 6.In section 7(3) (power to stop and search vehicles), after...

          3. 7.(1) Section 8 (penalties) shall be amended as follows.

        6. Minor amendment

          1. 8.Section 3(9) (notice varying order about sale or supply of...

      2. Part II Scotland

        1. Introduction

          1. 9.Part V of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 (sporting...

        2. Vehicles

          1. 10.After section 70 there shall be inserted the following— Alcohol...

          2. 11.In section 71 (defences in connection with carriage of alcohol)...

          3. 12.In section 75 (police powers of enforcement) for “or 70”...

          4. 13.In section 77 (interpretation of Part V)—

        3. Fireworks etc.

          1. 14.(1) After section 72 there shall be inserted the following—...

    2. SCHEDULE 2

      Other Amendments

      1. Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875 (c.86)

        1. 1.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

      2. Prevention of Crime Act 1953 (c.14)

        1. 2.In section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953...

      3. Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (c.45)

        1. 3.(1) Part V of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982...

      4. Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c.48)

        1. 4.The following shall be inserted at the end of Part...

        2. 5.. . . . . . . . . ....

        3. 6.. . . . . . . . . ....

      5. Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c.60)

        1. 7.In section 17(1)(c) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act...

    3. SCHEDULE 3

      Repeals

Back to top

Options/Help

Print Options

Close

Legislation is available in different versions:

Latest Available (revised):The latest available updated version of the legislation incorporating changes made by subsequent legislation and applied by our editorial team. Changes we have not yet applied to the text, can be found in the ‘Changes to Legislation’ area.

Original (As Enacted or Made): The original version of the legislation as it stood when it was enacted or made. No changes have been applied to the text.

Close

Opening Options

Different options to open legislation in order to view more content on screen at once

Close

More Resources

Access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item from this tab. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • correction slips
  • links to related legislation and further information resources
Close

Timeline of Changes

This timeline shows the different points in time where a change occurred. The dates will coincide with the earliest date on which the change (e.g an insertion, a repeal or a substitution) that was applied came into force. The first date in the timeline will usually be the earliest date when the provision came into force. In some cases the first date is 01/02/1991 (or for Northern Ireland legislation 01/01/2006). This date is our basedate. No versions before this date are available. For further information see the Editorial Practice Guide and Glossary under Help.

Close

More Resources

Use this menu to access essential accompanying documents and information for this legislation item. Dependent on the legislation item being viewed this may include:

  • the original print PDF of the as enacted version that was used for the print copy
  • correction slips

Click 'View More' or select 'More Resources' tab for additional information including:

  • lists of changes made by and/or affecting this legislation item
  • confers power and blanket amendment details
  • all formats of all associated documents
  • links to related legislation and further information resources

The data on this page is available in the alternative data formats listed: