Member

Let me be clear that this does not allow police to ban a particular protest outright. So long as the legislative threshold is met, conditions may be set, such as the start and finish times or the route—for example, to specify that the route should not go past a particular place of worship. The police will now be obliged to take into account the cumulative disruption from any protest held, or intended to be held, in the same area, regardless of whether the protest is organised by the same person or organisation. I am grateful to the noble Baroness, Lady Foster of Aghadrumsee, for sharing her observations on the operation and experience of the Parades Commission in Northern Ireland.