UK House of Commons Passes Controversial Public Order Bill

UK House of Commons Passes Controversial Public Order Bill by 276 to 231 Votes

• The Public Order Bill could grant police new powers to take a more “proactive” approach to disruptive protests, including a new offence of obstructing a major transport network.

• The proposed legislation would create a new criminal offense of interfering with infrastructure, such as airports, railways, and oil refineries, carrying sentences of up to 12 months in prison.

• It will also see sentences of up to six months or unlimited fines for protestors accused of “locking on” to buildings, objects, or people.

• A penalty of up to three years will be given to those tunneling under infrastructure to cause damage.