STAY SAFE – STAY PEACEFUL – STAY LAWFUL

The right to participate in a public procession is a fundamental human right. However, this right is limited by the need to uphold the rights of others, protect public health and safety, minimise disruption to normal life and by the need to prevent and detect crime. The role of the police is to facilitate parades and the exercise of freedom of expression, while ensuring the rights of all persons are protected. This requires us to facilitate lawful protests against public procession. We will seek to uphold the rights of all without discrimination.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

If you are organising a public procession:

• you must notify the Parades Commission. Failure to do so is a criminal offence. More details can be found at www.paradescommissionorg
• if requested, we would ask that you engage with the police.
• you must comply with your obligations under the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998 and the Parades Commission code of conduct.

If you are participating in a public procession:

• if requested, we would ask that you engage with the police.
• you must not endanger the safety of yourself, participants in the public procession or anybody else.
• you must not consume alcohol during the public procession, while travelling to it, or while assembled before taking part in a public procession.
• you should not block the roadway or footpath.
• you should respect the rights of others.
• you should follow instructions provided by police.

If you are organising a protest against a public procession:

• you must notify the parades commission. Failure to do so is a criminal offence. More details can be found at www.paradescommissionorg
• if requested, we would ask that you engage with the police
• you must comply with your obligations under the Public Processions (NI) Act 1998 and the Parades Commission code of conduct.

If you are participating in a protest against a public procession:

• if requested, we would ask that you engage with the police.
• you must not endanger the safety of yourself, participants in the public procession or anybody else.
• you must not consume alcohol in the vicinity of the public procession.
• you should not block the roadway or footpath.
• you should respect the rights of others.
• you should follow instructions provided by police.

WHAT WILL POLICE DO?

• we may contact the organiser of a public procession or associated protest to better understand what is planned. This reduces the likelihood that police will need to intervene on the day.
• if appropriate, we will attend the public procession to ensure that the rights of all concerned are upheld.
• we may identify any issues of concern e.g. potential criminal offences or unacceptable impact on the rights of others.
• we may issue lawful instructions to organisers and participants in order to ensure the public procession and any protest remains lawful.
• we will keep a record of our interactions with organisers to facilitate accountability.
• if breaches of any parades commission determination, or any other offences, take place, we will take lawful and proportionate action in response.

If an offence is suspected by police:

• we may record evidence e.g. by way of handheld or vehicle mounted-cameras.
• where possible, we may warn persons suspected of committing an offence.
• we may arrest and detain persons suspected of committing an offence.