A person who at a lawful public meeting acts in a disorderly manner for the purpose of preventing the transaction of the business for which the meeting was called together shall be guilty of an offence.

Paragraph (2) does not apply in relation to a protest meeting within the meaning of the Public Processions (Northern Ireland) Act 1998.

Subject to paragraph (4), a person guilty of an offence under paragraphF2. . . (2) shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both.

Paragraph (3) does not apply to a person who commits an offence under paragraph (2) at a meeting referred to in paragraph 13 of Schedule 9 to the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 or in section 97(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1983.