Part IIU.K. Proscribed Organisations

OffencesU.K.

12 Support.U.K.

(1)A person commits an offence if—

(a)he invites support for a proscribed organisation, and

(b)the support is not, or is not restricted to, the provision of money or other property (within the meaning of section 15).

[F1(1A)A person commits an offence if the person—

(a)expresses an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation, and

(b)in doing so is reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support a proscribed organisation.]

(2)A person commits an offence if he arranges, manages or assists in arranging or managing a meeting which he knows is—

(a)to support a proscribed organisation,

(b)to further the activities of a proscribed organisation, or

(c)to be addressed by a person who belongs or professes to belong to a proscribed organisation.

(3)A person commits an offence if he addresses a meeting and the purpose of his address is to encourage support for a proscribed organisation or to further its activities.

(4)Where a person is charged with an offence under subsection (2)(c) in respect of a private meeting it is a defence for him to prove that he had no reasonable cause to believe that the address mentioned in subsection (2)(c) would support a proscribed organisation or further its activities.

(5)In subsections (2) to (4)—

(a)“meeting” means a meeting of three or more persons, whether or not the public are admitted, and

(b)a meeting is private if the public are not admitted.

(6)A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable—

(a)on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding [F214] years, to a fine or to both, or

(b)on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to both.

Textual Amendments