Ministers to grant police new powers to curb repeated pro-Palestine protests

The Home Office has announced plans to give police new powers targeting repeated protests, particularly those related to Gaza, in an effort to crack down on ongoing demonstrations.

The move follows the arrest of nearly 500 people in London for supporting Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation. Under the proposed changes, police would be able to order regular protests to relocate to different sites.

In response, the Board of Deputies owelcomed the decision, describing the new “cumulative impact” powers as a key request in recent meetings with the Prime Minister and Home Secretary.

“We will work with the Government to ensure these and other measures are as effective as possible in protecting our community,” the Board said in a statement.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will also review all anti-protest laws, with the possibility of strengthening police powers to ban certain demonstrations outright.

Speaking to Sky News on Sunday, Mahmood said there was “a gap in the law” requiring urgent action and pledged to act quickly.

The planned changes to the Public Order Act 1986 would allow police to consider the “cumulative impact” of repeated protests at the same location. If a site experiences repeated disorder over several weeks, police could direct organisers to move their demonstrations elsewhere. Failure to comply could result in arrest.

Mahmood will further review existing legislation to ensure police powers are adequate and consistently applied, including the ability to ban protests entirely when necessary.

On Sky News, Mahmood clarified: “Cumulative disruption—the frequency of particular protests in specific places—should be reason enough for the police to restrict and place conditions.”

She added that this could include moving the protest or imposing time limits. Later, speaking to BBC One’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, Mahmood stressed, “This is not about a ban. This is about restrictions and conditions that would allow police to address cumulative disruption.”

Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has urged councils to use their powers and resources to protect Jewish communities, recommending they limit protest activity as much as possible in the coming weeks.

Additionally, all police forces in England and Wales are working with the Community Security Trust charity to provide extra support to the 538 synagogues and Jewish community sites nationwide.