Antisemitism
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of legislation in tackling expressions of Holocaust denial that constitute threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour under the Public Order Act 1986.
Answered by Sarah Jones
Antisemitism has absolutely no place in our society, and the Government is committed to tackling it in all its forms.
The Home Secretary launched an independent review of public order and hate crime legislation on 5 October. This review will assess whether police powers remain fit for purpose, are used consistently, and strike the right balance between protecting the public and safeguarding the right to lawful protest.
Under the Public Order Act 1986, expressions of Holocaust denial may constitute an offence where they meet the legal thresholds for threatening or abusive conduct under Section 5, or intentional harassment, alarm or distress under Section 4A.
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