PART 3The election campaign

Election meetings

Disturbances at election meetings

58.—(1) A person who at a lawful public meeting to which this article applies acts, or incites others to act, in a disorderly manner for the purpose of preventing the transaction of the business for which the meeting was called together is guilty of an illegal practice.

(2) This article applies to a political meeting held in any police area between the last date on which a notice of the election may be published in accordance with the PCC elections rules and the date of the poll.

(3) If a constable reasonably suspects any person of committing an offence under paragraph (1), the constable may if requested so to do by the chairman of the meeting require that person to declare to the constable immediately the person’s name and address and, if that person refuses or fails to do so or gives a false name or false address, the person is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.