Below is an example of an actual Application for prior permission to demonstrate within the Designated Area to inspire your own versions.
The Act states that you have to either deliver the letter by hand at a Police Station in the Metropolis, or use recorded post , which would be a wise precaution anyway, if your liberty depends on what might be a disputed date / time stamp.
You have applied "at least 6 clear days" or , confusingly "at least 24 hours" before the start of yoir "demonstration".
The list of Police Stations and their addresses and opening hours, can be found on the Metropolitan police website.
It might be a valid tactic to post or deliver Applications to different Police stations , most of whom will have no clue about what to do with them. If you want as sppedy an Application as possible, thenn New Scotland yard is the obvious place to address them to.
The Post Office Track and Trace web page allows you to see if and when the recorded delivery (called "Signed for Delivery" in Post Office marketing speak)
The Post Office currently charges 96p for first class signed for delivery, proof of postage with automatic receipt, plus signature on delivery. In case of a dispute, they charge £2.20 for a Proof of Delivery Ccertificate with a copy of the recipient's signature and printed name.
The Act states that email and/or facsimile can be used to inform you of any Conditions being imposed on your demonstration, but you cannot initially apply for permission through email or fax.
Nonody knows yet how many applications are necessary e.g. can one cover several different demonstrations in a single day, or a scheduule of regular demonstrations , same time, same place, say weekly etc. or does each one have to be applied for individually ?
Similarly there is no guidance on how many applications in a certain time period are acceptable, and how many would fall foul of the offence of "wasting police time".
There is also no guidance on by when the Metropolitan Police intend to try to reply to such an application, or any procedures or published contact details for chasing up the progress of such an application.
"Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis
Sir Ian Blair
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police
New Scotland Yard
Broadway
London
SW1H 0BGMonday 4th July 2005
Dear Sir,
I am writing to give formal notice under Section 133 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 "Notice of demonstrations in designated area"
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2005/50015--l.htm#133with regard to "Demonstrations in the vicinity of Parliament", as brought into force by
Statutory Instrument 2005 No. 1521 (C. 66) - The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Commencement No. 1, Transitional and Transitory Provisions) Order 2005
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051521.htmwithin the Designated Area described by
Statutory Instrument 2005 No. 1537 - The Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005 (Designated Area) Order 2005
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si2005/20051537.htm"The provisions relating to the procedure for giving notice of a demonstration and obtaining an authorisation come into force on 1st July 2005. The remaining provisions will come into force on 1st August 2005."I appreciate that this is a new law, but I am annoyed that there has been no publication of the correct procedures to follow, on either the Metropolitan Police Service's website www.met.police.uk, or on the Home Office website www.homeoffice.gov.uk
The law seems to be unclear as to what exactly it means by a "demonstration". Does walking within the Designated Area, wearing , for example, a "political slogan" T-shirt, or badge, or rubber wristband, or carrying campaign literature, count , in the "reasonable belief" of "a constable in uniform" as a Demonstration covered by this Act ?
To establish a baseline of what is and what is not permitted, here is a general Notice :
The notice must state-
a) the date and time when the demonstration is to start,
- Anytime at least "6 clear days" after the receipt of this notice, recorded post permitting. This means anytime after Tuesday 12th July 2005- I also reserve the right to demonstrate "not less than 24 hours", after the receipt of this notice, recorded post permitting. This means anytime after Wednesday 6th July 2005
(b) the place where it is to be carried on,
- Any "public place" i.e. "any highway or any place to which at the material time the public or any section of the public has access, on payment or otherwise, as of right or by virtue of express or implied permission," within the Designated Area, including the public areas of the Palace of Westminster itself, where I may choose to lobby Members of Parliament in the time honoured traditonal way.
(c) how long it is to last,
- Indefinately
(d) whether it is to be carried on by a person by himself or not,
- By myself initially and also by other people should they choose to do.
- N.B. this does not make me responsible as an "organiser" of any other arbitarary "demonstration".
(e) the name and address of the person giving the notice.
- [Name ]
- [Address]
- [Address]
- [Address]
- [Post Code]- facsimile: [Fax number]
- email: [name]@[domain name]Please advise me, preferably via email, of any Conditions which you intend to apply to my demonstration, when you authorise my notice of application, according to
Section 134 Authorisation of demonstrations in designated area
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts2005/50015--l.htm#134yours sincerely
XXXX"
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