New prohibitions in London district make ‘offensive language’ criminal offense
A new slew of prohibitions called Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) took effect last week in the London Borough of Barnet. According to the local council, the prohibitions aim to “ensure the law abiding majority can use and enjoy public spaces, safe from anti social behaviour.”
Among the PSPOs’ 11 prohibitions is one against “offensive language”.
“Any person who, without reasonable excuse, behaves in a manner that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm, or distress to any person(s) commits an offence,” says the memo from the Barnet government. “Examples of such behaviour include use of offensive, threatening or abusive language.”
Other laws include bans on spitting, drinking alcohol, possessing alcohol (“or anything reasonably believed to be alcohol”), walking more than six dogs at a time and promoting music or music events. The last order prohibits the use of legal psychoactive drugs or even the possession of “drug paraphernalia,” such as certain kinds of pipes.
Violating any alcohol-related prohibition may result in a £500 fine. Violating any other prohibition may result in a £1,000 fine.
The PSPOs expire on December 8, 2025. In the meantime, the Barnet Council encourages residents to report anyone they think may be violating these orders to authorities.
“Depending on what particular nuisance or problem the PSPO has been introduced for will depend on who you report the breach to. Each PSPO has specific ‘how to report a breach’ details in the order details and signs in the area.
“If the PSPO is related to anti social behaviour such as street drinking, then you need to call the police on 999 in an emergency or 101 for non urgent breach reports.
“If the PSPO is related to environmental crime such as fly tipping or dog control, then you can report it to the council.”
Signs have been posted in certain public areas warning about the restrictions.
Barnet is not the only area in the UK to recently create new ideology-based restrictions.
The Oxfordshire County Council came under fire this month for what some are calling the first climate lockdown. The council recently decided to divide the city of Oxford into “15-minute neighborhoods” by restricting Oxford residents from driving beyond their own community centers.
The new system will involve six “traffic filters” — busy stretches of road that filter one neighborhood into another. From 7 AM to 7 PM seven days a week, private vehicles that are caught driving past their own neighborhoods for “non-essential needs” will be subject to a £70 fine.
