In response to a protest outside Parliament on Monday 14 June, the Metropolitan Police Events account wrote on Twitter: “We remind those at the protest that we remain in a pandemic and gatherings of more than 30 people are illegal under the current Covid-19 guidelines. Please observe social distancing rules.” This is not quite right.
In most cases, it is currently illegal to gather in groups of more than 30 in an outdoor setting in England. There are some exceptions to this, for example if it is for work, education or training, for sports or for holding elections.
One such exception is for protests. This can be used if the protest has been organised by a business, a charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution, a public body or a political body, and if the organiser takes required precautions in relation to the protest.
According to civil liberties advocacy group Liberty, this means the organiser of the protest must carry out a risk assessment which meets the requirements of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, and take all reasonable steps to limit the risk of transmission of Covid-19.
It is not correct to suggest that protests and all gatherings of more than 30 people are illegal under the current guidelines.
Government guidelines specifically state that gatherings of more than 30 people outdoors can be held “for the purpose of Covid-secure protests or picketing where the organiser has taken the required precautions, including completing a risk assessment.”
Full Fact contacted the Metropolitan Police, but it declined to comment.