Home Office ‘appears to be like at legislation change to silence Stop Brexit Man as soon as and for all’
The Home Office is reportedly taking a look at altering the legislation to silence the activist often called ‘Stop Brexit Man’ as soon as and for all.
The infamously noisy protester blasts out loud music outdoors the Houses of Parliament for as much as eight hours at a time. The activist – actual title Steve Bray – has been utilizing a sound system to torment MPs and civil servants with pop songs performed at 90 decibels.
These typically break into TV broadcasts, and have so infuriated politicians that Conservative Party deputy chairman Lee Anderson has referred to as on Westminster Council to behave.
Anderson mentioned: “If he [Bray] rocked up to their offices with his music blaring out, they would move him on.”
Reports say that one doable tactic is to difficulty a Community Protection Notice that includes a written warning adopted by a £100 on-the-spot fantastic or prosecution if breached. However, for this, Labour-run Westminster Council would must be persuaded that Mr Bray’s actions weren’t a real political protest.
READ MORE: Kemi Badenoch fires back at Nigel Farage over Brexit dig
His actions have up to now been deemed by council workers to be protected by human rights legislation, though a former minister has mentioned he might simply be handled underneath current legal guidelines.
An MP added: “It’s not a genuine political protest – he’s just trying to making a living from being a public nuisance.”
Civil servants are reportedly taking a look at proposals to tighten Section 79 of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 that permits cops to impose situations on one-man protests in the event that they consider “that the noise generated by the person carrying on the protest may result in serious disruption to the activities of an organisation which are carried on in the vicinity of the protest”.
But the Metropolitan Police has not used the powers regardless of Mr Bray establishing his sound system near Parliament each Wednesday to coincide with Prime Minister’s Questions.
It is reported that police don’t suppose the noise his protest makes reached the edge for an offence underneath the act. The Home Office is contemplating amending the act in order that ‘serious disruption’ can embody a cumulative impact from weeks of noise slightly than only a one-off, reports the Daily Mail.
Mr Bray typically harangues Conservative backbenchers and ministers, chasing them down the road and filming them as they stroll by way of Westminster.
When Boris Johnson gave his farewell speech outdoors No 10, Mr Bray tried to drown him out by taking part in the Benny Hill theme tune and a parody of the pop track Bye Bye Baby.
Mr Bray commonly clashes with Mr Anderson and earlier this yr reported him to the police for supposedly swiping his distinctive prime hat, though he was advised that no crime had been dedicated.
A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police advised the Mail: “This is an area of considerable protest, and where that reaches beyond the boundaries of what is reasonable, we will take appropriate action.”