a website for information about initiatives to repeal the severe restrictions
on freedom to protest contained in the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

“Freedom does not die in one blow, it dies by inches in public legislation.”

Lord Strathclyde (Con) 15/11/06

The effect of SOCPA on protest away from Parliament


See a full list of sites designated under s128 SOCPA including military bases, other defence sites, civil sites, nuclear power stations, royal, governmental and parliamentary sites

see more on repealing the SOCPA legislation

See more on the history of the SOCPA legislation

see resources/links for much more from others on SOCPA

SOCPA Section 128: trespass on 'designated sites' around military bases and royal, governmental and parliamentary sites

Trials relating to charges brought under section 128:

In October 2007 Helen John and Sylvia Boyes were found guilty under section 128 of SOCPA of trespassing at the US spy base at Menwith Hill, North Yorkshire, on April 1 last year - the day that section of SOCPA came into force. Read more

In March 2008, Tansy Newman-Turner and Emma Bateman became the first people in Scotland to be convicted under s128 of SOCPA after they entered the naval base at Faslane. Read more.

In August 2008, Juliet McBride had her case dismissed in the first section 128 case relating to a nuclear licensed site. Read more.

Not SOCPA but denying freedom to protest:
In January 2008, the Aldermaston Women's Peace Camp brought a judicial review challenging the denial of right to freedom of assembly around the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) Aldermaston. Recent restrictions on protest at Aldermaston under new Ministry of Defence byelaws are part of a range of police powers, including SOCPA, which have the effect of denying the right to protest at military, nuclear and government sites across the UK. This case has significance beyond Aldermaston and the peace camp as a programme of reviewing the byelaws is in progress across the country. Read about the judicial review. In March, the High Court rules that most of the restrictions were permissible. Read the story from the front page of The Independent. However, in February 2009, the MoD byelaw banning camping outside the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston was quashed by the court of appeal. Read more about the appeal case.

SOCPA: 'harassment' and 'interference with contractual relationships'

SOCPA is being used to clampdown heavily on animal rights protests and to impose extremely harsh penalties including substantial periods of remand and prison sentences. Details of cases can be found on Indymedia. Read Schnews on Internment Is New Tactic To Deal With Animal Rights Movement.