Lashley mulls tougher public order law for rowdy acts

People who disrupt public events and threaten the safety of those attending could face tougher penalties as the government considers strengthening the Public Order Act, Minister of Legal Affairs and Criminal Justice Michael Lashley has warned.

Speaking at a Crime Awareness Month event at St Stephen’s Primary School on Monday, Lashley said the proposed review was prompted by a number of violent altercations captured in videos circulating on social media, including incidents involving students and disturbances at public events.

He told the pupils: “I am tired of getting videos sent to my phone of students fighting with each other. I’m also tired of seeing people who believe that they can leave home and go to public events, and disrupt a public event, and believe that it is easygoing.”  

Lashley said the government would be looking at strengthening legislation to deal with individuals who disrupt organised events and jeopardise the safety of those attending.

“There’s something called the public order, there’s something called violent disorder, and the Public Order Act has not been amended for some time. And if it comes to that point, that we have to go back to the Public Order Act and strengthen the penalties, then that will be done.”  

Passed by the Errol Barrow administration at the height of public demonstrations during the Black Power era, the Public Order Act came into force on June 8, 1970, to regulate public meetings, marches and processions. The law established a system of police permits for public meetings and set out powers to prevent gatherings from causing breaches of the peace or serious public disorder.  

His comments came after violent altercations at public events over recent months, with the most recent incident occurring at the Walk for the Cure event on Sunday, October 4 along the Errol Barrow Highway at Warrens.

But Lashley stressed that event promoters also share responsibility for preventing such incidents and should improve their security arrangements: “It’s also the responsibility of the promoters to step up their security, and I believe that they will have to meet certain protocols and conditions before permission is granted.”

The criminal justice minister added that promoters needed to reassess their security arrangements while the government also examined ways to strengthen security measures.

“I believe from our end to look and see how we can enhance security,” he said.

(SB)