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Protest

Public order public safety — Authorised Professional Practice

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Summary

This section of the Authorised Professional Practice (APP) provides guidance on the policing of protests, emphasizing the balance between the rights of individuals participating in protests and the impact on the wider community. It highlights that while most protests in the UK are peaceful, they can lead to significant disruption. The National protest operational advice document (POAD) has been updated following feedback from His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) and recent legislative changes affecting public order. It is aimed at assisting Public Order Public Safety (POPS) commanders in their decision-making processes regarding protests. Commanders are advised to consult both the POAD and supplementary guidance from the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 when preparing for policing protests.

Key principles

  • 1Most protests are peaceful and require minimal police engagement.
  • 2Protests may disrupt daily life, necessitating careful planning.
  • 3Balance the rights of protesters with community impact.
  • 4Refer to the National Police Chiefs' Council and College of Policing guidance for planning.
  • 5Utilize the National protest operational advice document for decision-making.

Defined terms

National protest operational advice document (POAD)
A document providing guidance reviewed in light of HMICFRS reports and changes in public order legislation.
Public Order Public Safety (POPS)
An area of policing focused on managing public order incidents such as protests.
Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
Legislation that includes supplementary guidance on policing protests.

Full guidance

This page is from APP, the official source of professional practice for policing.

The public order public safety (POPS) APP is not a protest advice document and covers a wide range of POPS events, including music festivals, sporting events, carnivals and many other events.

The National protest operational advice document (POAD) is protest advice that has been reviewed in light of His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services’ (HMICFRS) report ‘Getting the balance right?’ and government changes to public order legislation.

While the vast majority of protest activity in the UK is peaceful and requires no police engagement, protest activity can cause significant disruption to the lives of others. Such incidents require careful consideration to balance the rights of those involved with the wider community. The POAD is intended to assist POPS commanders and inform their decisions when considering ‘getting that balance right’.

POPS commanders should refer to the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) and College of Policing POAD when planning for the policing of protests.

For further guidance see the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 supplementary guide .

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Reproduced from the College of Policing Authorised Professional Practice under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as captured on 2026-06-27. APP is amended over time — check the source link below for the current version. This is a reference, not operational authorisation.

APP is the authoritative source for UK policing practice and is updated over time. For the current, official version — including any operational detail not reproduced here — go direct.

Read the full APP guidance

Source: College of Policing — Authorised Professional Practice · Crown copyright, licensed under Open Government Licence v3.0. Summary fetched 2026-06-27.