Question to the Home Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the circumstances in which journalists may lawfully be prevented from attending peaceful public events by (1) the police, and (2) the event organisers.

The Government is clear that the role of members of the press must be respected. It is vital that journalists are able to do their job freely and without restriction.

Section 17 of the Public Order Act 2023 sets out that the police may not exercise their powers for the sole purpose of preventing a person from observing or reporting on a protest.

However, this does not prevent the police from using their powers, such as the power of arrest, for other purposes, for example to maintain public order and safety.

The use of police powers is an operational matter for the police. The Government is unable to intervene in operational decisions of this nature. To do so would undermine their operational independence.

In most cases, event organisers cannot exclude individuals from freely accessing public spaces.