‘Too much grey area’: Met boss says human rights law making it ‘untenable’ for police to manage protests
The UK’s most senior police officer has told LBC competing laws around disruptive protests and human rights have become ‘untenable’.
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Met Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley says ‘it’s time for Parliament to redraw the line’ as he admitted it has become increasingly tough for police to get the balance right.
It follows criticism of his force’s handling of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in recent years, with Jewish groups and some politicians describing them as ‘hate marches’ through the streets of London.
For the first time since 2012, Scotland Yard asked for a month-long ban on marches linked to Al Quds, over concerns about disorder.
Officers are investigating chants of ‘Death to the IDF’ at a static demonstration on Sunday - which they don’t have the power to stop.
Read more: Police seek legal advice over Bobby Vylan's ‘death to the IDF’ chants at Al-Quds Day march
Sir Mark revealed to LBC that his officers are seeking advice from prosecutors on whether they can take any action against people who led the chant, including one half of the rap group Bob Vylan. Last year, Avon and Somerset Police decided not to bring criminal charges after looking into similar chants at their Glastonbury performance.
“There will always be a bit of grey at the margins of legislation,” the Met boss told LBC, “but the current public order legislation has far, far too much grey.
“It was designed in the 1980s in a different time and has had the Human Rights Act overlaid over the top of it, which creates such complexity for the decision making of police officers and the Crown Prosecution Service.
“I don't think it's tenable. And I do think time has come for Parliament to redraw the lines really clearly.
“It's not for me to say how permissive or restrictive they should be, but as a police officer, me and my colleagues just want clarity."
A review of public order and hate crime legislation is underway, which Sir Mark said he hopes will deliver ‘clear recommendations’ for improvement.
The Commissioner spoke to LBC from the NYPD offices in New York, at the start of a week-long trip to America.
While there, he’s set to urge authorities to release unredacted messages between Lord Mandelson and paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Scotland Yard is continuing an investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office by the former government minister and UK ambassador to the United States.
Sir Mark is also planning to take his fight against phone theft to the doors of big tech in Silicon Valley, after a punchy speech last week accusing phone manufacturers of not taking the issue seriously.
When asked if he thought his record on phone snatching would define his term as commissioner, he told LBC: “That’s a bit over dramatic”.
“I mean, it is a big deal for people in cities across the world… in Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Santiago, Tokyo, etc.
“But I'm really proud of what our teams in London have done. In Westminster at the moment, it's running at half the rate it was a year ago. Last year was down by 10,000 victims. It's going to be down by a lot more again this year.
“So we're doing an enormous amount with enforcement, but as you've heard me say, I think the tech sector, the people who make the phones and the ecosystems, can make a big difference in designing out this crime.
“And I hope we can have some of those conversations during my visit.