Concealing identies - Section 60AA (Criminal Justice Act 1994) order

[nettie434]

I was just reading about the pro-Palestine march in London today. The police have enforced Section 60AA (Criminal Justice Act 1994) powers which enable them to insist that people remove masks which conceal their identity.

I'd never heard of these powers before. Am I the only one? I am also surprised not surprised that they have never been enforced at protests against events that are deemed transphobic. I'm thinking in particular of a protest in Manchester against a 'Let Women Speak' event. The people in black masks and costumes looked incredibly threatening.

I only heard about this today as well. Having been to a few LWS events which were protested by masked young people, mostly young men, it's interesting to know the police could have challenged them.

But the police didn't seem bothered by the aggressive shouting which seemed designed to intimidate and scare us away.

re. masks - it seems to have been updated in 2001(?) as part of anti terrorism laws:

1. Consequently there was no explicit power for the police to require the removal of masks, face coverings or face paint of those in custody so that those wearing them could be reliably photographed. Section 92 provides both the power to require the removal of masks, coverings or face paint to identify and photograph a person and to use reasonable force to do so, if necessary.

1. Section 94 strengthens police powers in relation to the removal of face coverings. It adds to the power in section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Police Act 1994 to require the removal of face coverings where an authorisation is given by a senior officer for a given locality. The test for an authorisation under section 60 is reasonable belief that incidents of serious violence may take place in the locality and that it is expedient to give an authorisation to prevent their occurrence. An authorisation under that section gives the police powers to stop and search pedestrians and vehicles for offensive weapons or dangerous instruments. It also gives the police power to require the removal of face coverings. Section 94 provides that in relation to the power to require the removal of face coverings only, an authorisation may also be given where a senior officer reasonably believes activities may take place in the locality involving the commission of offences and that it is expedient to give such an authorisation to prevent or control those activities.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2001/24/notes/division/4/10?view=plain
(Ignore the numbers - the crazy software of this forum added them)

The police statement re the demonstrations was almost entirely about imposing a very restricted area the march and sunday's demonstration could take place.
https://news.met.police.uk/news/restrictions-in-place-for-demonstration-and-protest-473715