Protest: Cenotaph

Paul Flynn
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will bring forward proposals to amend the law so as to allow protests against war in the vicinity of the Cenotaph.

Mr. McNulty
Protests in the vicinity of the Cenotaph are already allowed. As the Cenotaph falls within the designated area around Parliament, organisers of static demonstrations are required to notify their intention to demonstrate to the Commissioner in advance. The Commissioner must authorise any demonstration which is notified to him in advance. Marches are subject to prior notification under section 11 of the Public Order Act 1986.

We announced in the Green Paper “The Governance of Britain” in July that we would review the provisions that govern the right to protest in the vicinity of Parliament. We shall be consulting widely with a view to ensuring that people’s right to protest is not subject to unnecessary restrictions. The consultation will begin very shortly.