Charities: Public Places
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of police powers to help prevent charity fundraisers using aggressive tactics to raise money in public areas.
Answered by Sarah Jones
Police forces have a range of statutory and common law powers to deal with matters in public places. These include common law powers to prevent a breach of the peace, which allow officers to intervene where there is a reasonable belief that harm may occur to a person or property, or where public order is threatened.
Charitable fundraising is a legitimate means of raising money for relevant causes. All fundraising activity must be conducted lawfully and in a way that does not cause harm, intimidation, or public disorder. Where behaviour crosses the threshold into unlawful activity or risks a breach of the peace, the police are able to take appropriate action using their existing powers.
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