Arrests under Public Order Act

31 December 2024

Request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 Ref No: FOI2024/08417

I write in connection with your request for information received on 28th November.  I note you seek access to the following information:

This is a request for information according to the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

My request relates to police use of new powers to police protests, passed in the Public Order Act 2023.

The list of offence codes 2023 has not been updated to include the new powers, so I am using the section name in the legislation to define each law.

Please note my request has six parts.

(1) Between 03/05/2023 and 28/11/2024, how many arrests has your force made under Part One, Section One of the Public Order Act 2023 - the offence of locking on.

For each arrest, please provide the ethnicity of the suspect. Please provide these as totals (e.g. White British = 5; Black Caribbean = 2).

(2) Between 03/05/2023 and 28/11/2024, how many arrests has your force made under Part One, Section two of the Public Order Act 2023 - offence of being equipped for locking on.

For each arrest, please provide the ethnicity of the suspect. Please provide these as totals (e.g. White British = 5; Black Caribbean = 2).

(3) Between 02/07/2023 and 28/11/2024, how many arrests has your force made under Part One, Section six of the Public Order Act 2023 - obstruction of major transport works

For each arrest, please provide the ethnicity of the suspect. Please provide these as totals (e.g. White British = 5; Black Caribbean = 2).

(4) Between 02/07/2023 and 28/11/2024, how many arrests has your force made under Part One, Section seven of the Public Order Act 2023 - interfering with use or operation of key infrastructure

For each arrest, please provide the ethnicity of the suspect. Please provide these as totals (e.g. White British = 5; Black Caribbean = 2).

(5) Between 20/12/2023 and 28/11/2024, how many times has your force used stop and search without suspicion powers allowed for under Section 11 - powers to stop and search without suspicion, of the Public Order Act 2023?

For each use of the powers, please provide the ethnicity of the suspect. Please provide these as totals (e.g. White British = 5; Black Caribbean = 2).

(6) Between 20/12/2023 and 28/11/2024, how many arrests has your force made under Part One, Section 14 of the Public Order Act 2023 - offences relating to Section 11

For each arrest, please provide the ethnicity of the suspect. Please provide these as totals (e.g. White British = 5; Black Caribbean = 2).

 I am required by the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (The Act) to handle all requests in a manner that is blind to the identity of the requestor. Any information released in response to a request is regarded as being published and therefore, in the public domain without caveat.

Following enquiries within Bedfordshire Police Force please see our response below.

Custody ARRESTS
Word search - PROTEST
Dates between: 3.5.2023 - 28.11.2024

*The above offences relate to 'PROTEST' word search in the Circumstances of Arrest text.

The numerical data presented in this response is an un-audited snapshot of un-published data sourced from "live" systems and is subject to the interpretation of the original request by the individual extracting the data.