According to reports from the Herald, Scottish Parliament bosses have asked the Home Office to designate the building and its grounds as a “protected site” in the interests of national security.
This would make it easier for the police to remove protesters from the area.
Legislation has now been laid in Westminster under the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 which is due to come into force on October 1.
At present, the police have limited powers to intervene if there is no substantive offence taking place, such as protesters making a prolonged noise outside the entrances.
But from next month it will be a criminal offence to remain on the parliamentary estate “without lawful authority” punishable by a £5000 fine or a year in jail if convicted of the offence.
The change, which will apply to all the landscaped grounds and ‘ponds’ area where most protests take place, brings Holyrood into line with Westminster and the Welsh Senedd.
In the last week alone, hundreds of people have held demos in support of women’s rights and against vaccine passports.
Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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