An Act to prevent disturbance of Public Meetings.
[21st December 1908]
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C1Act repealed by Representation of the People Act 1949 (c. 68), Sch. 9 as respects meetings to which s. 84 of that Act applies.
Act repealed (N.I.) by Public Order Act (Northern Ireland) 1951 (c. 19), s. 4(3)
(1)Any person who at a lawful public meeting acts in a disorderly manner for the purpose of preventing the transaction of the business for which the meeting was called together shall be guilty of an offence, . . . F1[F2and shall on summary conviction be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding [F3level 5 on the standard scale] or to both].
(2)Any person who incites others to commit an offence under this section shall be guilty of a like offence.
[F4(3)If any constable reasonably suspects any person of committing an offence under the foregoing provisions of this section, he may if requested so to do by the chairman of the meeting require that person to declare to him immediately his name and address and, if that person refuses or fails so to declare his name and address or gives a false name and address he shall be guilty of an offence under this subsection and liable on summary conviction thereof to a fine not exceeding [F5level 1 on the standard scale], F6... .]
[F7(4)This section does not apply as respects meetings to which section 97 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 applies.]
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 1(1) repealed by Representation of the People Act 1949 (c. 68), s. 175(2)–(7), Sch. 9 and Public Order Act 1963 (c. 52), s. 1(2)
F2Words in s. 1(1) added by (E.W.) Criminal Law Act 1977 (c. 45), ss. 30, 65(7), Sch. 1 para. 3 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21), s. 289A, Sch. 7A para. 3
F3Words in s. 1(1) substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21), s. 289G (which 1975 Act was repealed (S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 40, ss. 6(1), 7(2), Sch. 5) and by 1995, c. 40, ss. 3, 7(2), Sch. 1 para. 1, Sch. 2 Pt. I it is provided (S.) (1.4.1996) that s. 1(1) shall have effect as if the maximum penalty that may be imposed on summary conviction for the offence mentioned therein were a term of imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale
F4S. 1(3) added by Public Order Act 1936 (1 Edw. 8 & 1 Geo. 6 c. 6), s. 6
F5Words in s. 1(3) substituted by virtue of (E.W.) Criminal Justice Act 1982 (c. 48, SIF 39:1), s. 46 and (S.) Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975 (c. 21, SIF 39:1), s. 289G
F6Words in s. 1(3) repealed (E.W.) by Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (c. 60, SIF 95), s. 119(2), Sch. 7 Pt. I and (S.) (25.1.2018) by Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 (asp 1), s. 117(2), sch. 2 para. 5; S.S.I. 2017/345, art. 3, sch.
F7S. 1(4) inserted by Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2, SIF 42), Sch. 8 para. 1
Modifications etc. (not altering text)
C2S. 1(1): mode of trial specified (S.) (1.4.1996) by 1995 c. 46, ss. 292(1), 309(2), Sch. 10 para. 2 (with ss. 24(2), 307(2))
This Act may be cited as the Public Meeting Act 1908.