Parliament Square: Occupy Protests

Lord Paddick Excerpts

Tuesday 28th October 2014 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bates]

I am very happy to convey the sentiments of my noble friend to the police on the role that they do, which is incredibly difficult. The point has to be reiterated that one of the reasons that the police are taking the actions that they are, and why we passed the legislation that we did, was to ensure that Parliament Square is available for those who want to come to make a peaceful protest as part of a democratic society in which we want to live.

[Lord Paddick (LD)]

My Lords, does my noble friend agree that the police should be there as much to facilitate peaceful protest as to prevent it?

[Lord Bates]

That is absolutely right. In fact, the guidance actually states that the first responsibility is with the Greater London Authority in conjunction with Westminster City Council, and it is the local authority representatives who made the first contact in the first instance; and the police are there only in support of the local authority.