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Public Order Act 1986

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Public Order Act 1986 is up to date with all changes known to be in force on or before 22 December 2024. There are changes that may be brought into force at a future date. Help about Changes to Legislation

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  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

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