Adapting to Protest

The HMIC Report - Adapting to Protest was published on 7 July 2009. Conducted at the request of the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Service, this review looked at the policing methods used on 1 April 2009 during the G20 summits in London.

The report made a number of immediate recommendations, including that police:

• Facilitate peaceful protest
• Improve dialogue with protest groups where possible  
• Improve communication with the public 
• Moderate impact of containment when used 
• Improve training to equip officers to deal with the full spectrum of protest activity 
• Wear clear identification at all times

and that: 

• National guidance on the policing of protest needs overhauling by ACPO.

View full report (revised June 2010) (WARNING large file 4Mb)

View Press Release

Adapting to Protest - Nurturing the British Model of Policing

Adapting to Protest – Nurturing the British Model of Policing was published on 25 November 2009, and asks the question “How best should the police as a service adapt to the modern day demands of public order policing while retaining the core values of the British model of policing?”

Press release - Adapting to Protest - Nurturing the British Model of Policing

This review builds on the recommendations of Adapting to Protest and develops a practical framework for police decision-making to facilitate peaceful protest. It includes the response from the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to the recommendations made by HMIC in July and provides further details of the ACPO review of national public order training.

Three flow diagrams were developed as a way to provide, clear practical guidance for public order practitioners. These diagrams can help to devise appropriate command and control frameworks for large-scale public order operations

Facilitating Peaceful Protest

Use of Public Highway

Protests on Private Land (revised June 2010)

An External Reference Group provided critical oversight and scrutiny for the duration of the second part of the HMIC Review.

The HMIC Review team welcomes comments or submissions on Adapting to Protest and Adapting to Protest – Nurturing the British Model of Policing. Please contact the Review Team.

Terms of Reference of the HMIC Review of the Policing of Public Protest.