PSPO and protests
Dear Greenwich Borough Council,
Since early 2024, you have used anti-social behaviour powers under your wide-randing Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to restrict protests by Palestine solidarity campaigners who are using loudhailers. Incidents where the PSPO and threats of arrests were issued against people exercising their right to freedom of assembly are set out here:
https://netpol.org/2025/02/26/protesters...
Following an intervention by the human rights group Liberty, in advance of the full council meeting on 26 March 2025, where protests were once again planned, there was no use of the PSPO to prevent protesters from using amplified sound equipment outside the town hall.
Can you clarify whether updated instructions on the PSPO relating to protests have now been issued to your community safety enforcement officers, and if so, what they say?
Can you also provide me with a copy of any correspondence related to the decision-making on the PSPO and possible protests in advance of the 26 March council meeting?
Yours faithfully,
Kevin Blowe
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025
Your request will be answered by 25/04/2025
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025.
Due to the non-working days over the Easter period, your request will be
answered by 29/04/2025.
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 28 March 2025 08:59
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025
Your request will be answered by 25/04/2025
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
Dear Greenwich Borough Council,
Are you able to provide a response to my request today?
Yours sincerely,
Kevin Blowe
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Please accept our sincere apologies for a delay in providing a response to
your Freedom of Information request. We apologise for any inconvenience
this may cause. The service providing you with your response has been
chased today and they do remain committed to responding to your request as
soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 28 March 2025 09:28
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: FW: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025.
Due to the non-working days over the Easter period, your request will be
answered by 29/04/2025.
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[1][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 28 March 2025 08:59
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[2][FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[3][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025
Your request will be answered by 25/04/2025
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 01/04/2025
Our response is as follows:
Since early 2024, you have used anti-social behaviour powers under your
wide-randing Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to restrict protests by
Palestine solidarity campaigners who are using loudhailers. Incidents
where the PSPO and threats of arrests were issued against people
exercising their right to freedom of assembly are set out here:
https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Following an intervention by the human rights group Liberty, in advance of
the full council meeting on 26 March 2025, where protests were once again
planned, there was no use of the PSPO to prevent protesters from using
amplified sound equipment outside the town hall.
Can you clarify whether updated instructions on the PSPO relating to
protests have now been issued to your community safety enforcement
officers, and if so, what they say?
There has not been any updated correspondence to the team regarding the
use of the PSPO in relation to protesters.
The PSPO condition regarding the anti-social use of amplification was
initially created to prevent the use of amplification from groups using
speakers in town centres including hate preachers, loud busking and groups
congregating in the town centre with speakers. Use of loudhailers would
be considered anti-social, and the team cannot choose when to adhere to
the conditions. The PSPO is not being used as a tool to impair their right
to peaceful protest however use of amplification across Royal Greenwich is
prohibited under the PSPO and is considered anti-social behaviour.
Can you also provide me with a copy of any correspondence related to the
decision-making on the PSPO and possible protests in advance of the 26
March council meeting?
The information you have requested is exempt as the PSPO document and
information from the GOV website regarding noise from Protests and our
Public Space Protection Orders is reasonably accessible to you in
accordance with Section 21(1) of the Freedom of Information Act; which
provides information is exempt, and therefore does not have to be
disclosed in response to a request, if it is reasonably accessible to the
applicant by other means.
Please use the links below which will provide you with the information you
have requested:
[1]Noise-related provisions: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
factsheet - GOV.UK
[2]https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/downlo...
If you have any queries about this correspondence, please contact me,
quoting the reference number above.
If you are not satisfied with our response to your request, you can ask
for an Internal Review. Internal review requests must be submitted within
two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original
request. If you wish to do this, please contact us in writing, setting
out why you are dissatisfied.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the Internal Review, you may
apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision.
Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the
Internal Review procedure provided by the Council. You can contact the ICO
by emailing [3][email address], or by post at Customer Contact,
Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Officer
Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London SE18 6HQ
8 [4]www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 29 April 2025 16:17
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: FW: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Please accept our sincere apologies for a delay in providing a response to
your Freedom of Information request. We apologise for any inconvenience
this may cause. The service providing you with your response has been
chased today and they do remain committed to responding to your request as
soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[5][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 28 March 2025 09:28
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[6][FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[7][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: FW: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025.
Due to the non-working days over the Easter period, your request will be
answered by 29/04/2025.
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[8][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 28 March 2025 08:59
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[9][FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[10][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025
Your request will be answered by 25/04/2025
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18
6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025.
Our response is as follows:
Since early 2024, you have used anti-social behaviour powers under your
wide-randing Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to restrict protests by
Palestine solidarity campaigners who are using loudhailers. Incidents
where the PSPO and threats of arrests were issued against people
exercising their right to freedom of assembly are set out here:
https://eur01.safelinks.protection.outlo...
Following an intervention by the human rights group Liberty, in advance of
the full council meeting on 26 March 2025, where protests were once again
planned, there was no use of the PSPO to prevent protesters from using
amplified sound equipment outside the town hall.
Can you clarify whether updated instructions on the PSPO relating to
protests have now been issued to your community safety enforcement
officers, and if so, what they say?
There has not been any updated correspondence to the team regarding the
use of the PSPO in relation to protesters.
The PSPO condition regarding the anti-social use of amplification was
initially created to prevent the use of amplification from groups using
speakers in town centres including hate preachers, loud busking and groups
congregating in the town centre with speakers. Use of loudhailers would be
considered anti-social, and the team cannot choose when to adhere to the
conditions. The PSPO is not being used as a tool to impair their right to
peaceful protest however use of amplification across Royal Greenwich is
prohibited under the PSPO and is considered anti-social behaviour.
Can you also provide me with a copy of any correspondence related to the
decision-making on the PSPO and possible protests in advance of the 26
March council meeting?
The information you have requested is exempt as the PSPO document and
information from the GOV website regarding noise from Protests and our
Public Space Protection Orders is reasonably accessible to you in
accordance with Section 21(1) of the Freedom of Information Act; which
provides information is exempt, and therefore does not have to be
disclosed in response to a request, if it is reasonably accessible to the
applicant by other means.
Please use the links below which will provide you with the information you
have requested:
[1]Noise-related provisions: Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022
factsheet - GOV.UK
[2]https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/downlo...
If you have any queries about this correspondence, please contact me,
quoting the reference number above.
If you are not satisfied with our response to your request, you can ask
for an Internal Review. Internal review requests must be submitted within
two months of the date of receipt of the response to your original
request. If you wish to do this, please contact us in writing, setting out
why you are dissatisfied.
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of the Internal Review, you may
apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision.
Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the
Internal Review procedure provided by the Council. You can contact the ICO
by emailing [3][email address], or by post at Customer Contact,
Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow,
SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Officer
Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London SE18 6HQ
8 [4]www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi
Sent: 29 April 2025 16:17
To: 'Kevin Blowe'
Cc: foi
Subject: FW: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Please accept our sincere apologies for a delay in providing a response to
your Freedom of Information request. We apologise for any inconvenience
this may cause. The service providing you with your response has been
chased today and they do remain committed to responding to your request as
soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18 6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[5][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 28 March 2025 09:28
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[6][FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[7][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: FW: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025.
Due to the non-working days over the Easter period, your request will be
answered by 29/04/2025.
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18 6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[8][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 28 March 2025 08:59
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[9][FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[10][Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
FOI request: FOI-3861
Thank you for your request dated 28/03/2025
Your request will be answered by 25/04/2025
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
David White
Head of Information, Safety and Community Services
Directorate of Communities, Environment and Central
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* 3^rd Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London, SE18 6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
Dear Greenwich Borough Council,
Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.
I am writing to request an internal review of Greenwich Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'PSPO and protests'.
Your response indicates the guidance to the Greenwich council enforcement team is rigid: enforcement officers "cannot choose when to adhere to the conditions" of the PSPO on the use of amplified equipment, and that the "use of loudhailers would be considered anti-social" in all instances.
However, a blanket ban on the use of amplification with no provision or ability of anyone to consider the Article 10 and 11 rights of local people using loudhailers to demonstrate, which is commonplace at protests everywhere else, would seem incompatible with your response that the "PSPO is not being used as a tool to impair their right to peaceful protest".
You say there has been no change to the guidance for the enforcement team regarding the use of the PSPO concerning protesters, but something DID change before the full council meeting on 26 March 2025. Following Liberty's intervention, enforcement officers quite clearly DID "choose when to adhere to the conditions" and decided not to impose the threat of arrests on demonstrators for using loudhailers, as they had on previous occasions.
It would seem that there was a discussion within the council on the Article 10 and 11 rights of local people using loudhailers to demonstrate and so my request for a copy of any correspondence related to the decision-making on the PSPO in advance of the 26 March council meeting is therefore all the more relevant to understanding how the PSPO in Greenwich is implemented.
However, your response ignored this completely, referring instead to general government guidance and the PSPO itself. This is not a proper response to the request made.
Therefore, for clarification in case my request was poorly worded, can you also provide me with a copy of any internal Greenwich council correspondence, emails or notes of any meetings related to the decision-making on the PSPO and possible protests in advance of the 26 March council meeting?
A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p...
Yours faithfully,
Kevin Blowe
Dear Mr Blowe,
Internal Review request: INT-4072
Thank you for your request dated 30/04/2025.
Your request will be answered by 30/05/2025.
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Directorate of Communities and Environment
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* The Woolwich Centre, Wellington Street, Woolwich, London, SE18 6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
Dear Mr Blowe
Internal Review request: INT-4072
Thank you for your Internal Review request on the handling of your Freedom
of Information request. Please find the outcome attached.
If you are not content with the outcome of the Internal Review, you may
apply directly to the Information Commissioner (ICO) for a decision.
Generally, the ICO cannot make a decision unless you have exhausted the
Internal Review procedure provided by the Council. The Information
Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information Commissioner’s Office,
Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Directorate of Communities and Environment
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* The Woolwich Centre, Wellington Street, Woolwich, London, SE18 6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
From: foi <[Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Sent: 30 April 2025 11:37
To: 'Kevin Blowe' <[FOI #1260522 email]>
Cc: foi <[Greenwich Borough Council request email]>
Subject: INT-4072: Internal review of Freedom of Information request -
PSPO and protests
Dear Mr Blowe,
Internal Review request: INT-4072
Thank you for your request dated 30/04/2025.
Your request will be answered by 30/05/2025.
If you have any queries about this request, please contact me, quoting the
reference number above.
Yours sincerely,
Freedom of Information Team
Directorate of Communities and Environment
Royal Borough of Greenwich
* The Woolwich Centre, Wellington Street, Woolwich, London, SE18 6HQ
ü Please consider the environment before printing this email
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