Are Protests Legal in the UK?
Protests
Are Protests Legal in the UK?
Protesting is an important part of democratic society, allowing people to express their views, raise awareness and campaign for change.
Protests such as the Suffragette Movement and more recently, climate change and football supporters groups campaigning against ticket price rises might be some of the protests that first spring to mind.
But are protests legal in the UK?
Yes! Peaceful protests are protected by law, although there are rules that organisers and participants need to understand. Police can impose certain conditions on protests where legal thresholds are met, particularly where there is a risk of serious disruption, disorder or intimidation.
This is often a sensitive issue when the police and governing authorities place thresholds and conditions on such protests.
Is Peaceful Protest Legal?
People have legal protections relating to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. These rights are important parts of UK democracy but they are not unlimited.
Protesters must still comply with criminal law and any lawful conditions imposed by the police. The circumstances surrounding a protest, including its location, activities and potential impact on others, can affect what restrictions may apply.
Do You Need Permission to Protest?
You do not generally need to obtain permission simply to hold a protest. However, there are specific requirements for organised public marches.
Organisers of a public march must normally notify the police in writing at least six days beforehand, providing information such as the date, time, route and organiser details. The police can impose conditions on a march where the relevant legal requirements are met.
For protests that do not involve a march, there is generally no requirement to notify the police in advance.
Can Police Put Conditions on a Protest?
Yes. Police have powers to impose conditions on certain public processions, assemblies and protests.
These conditions can relate to matters such as location, duration, numbers or the route of a march. Recent legislation has also strengthened police powers concerning repeated protests, protests near places of worship and other circumstances involving significant disruption or intimidation.
What About Disruptive Protests?
Peaceful protest remain lawful but certain behaviour during a protest can amount to a criminal offence.
The law provides police with powers to manage protests where there is serious disruption or other relevant risks. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 has introduced further measures concerning issues including certain face coverings, pyrotechnics, memorials, places of worship and the cumulative impact of repeated protests.
The Role of Protestor Removal
There are times however, when protests disrupt public order and impact the wider society. Recent incidents such as protesters bringing major motorways to a halt, trespassing or vandalism of private property may spring to mind here.
When incidents of this nature arise, protester removal is necessary, for the safety of those protesting, the safety of others and ensuring the law is upheld.
However, this requires a delicate balance between maintaining order and respecting the rights of those protesting.
How ERT Can Help
Here at ERT, we have professionally qualified teams across the UK that are able to use a variety of techniques to remove protesters safely and respectfully.
Our protester removal teams are certificated enforcement agents who are medically fit, qualified professionals and highly experienced in this sector supporting both private and public organisations.
If you are in need of protester removal, ERT are the reliable professionals to trust. Give our team a call on 0203 886 1024.
Thank you for reading, we hope our blog ‘Are Protests Legal in the UK?’, was of interest and value!
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