ANALYSIS: Speaking during the widespread UK disorder over the summer, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer referred to a ‘standing army’ of public order trained police officers ready to deal with future incidents; but Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone, a former Met Police public order specialist, says shift patterns, the loss of experienced officers and the costs of kit and training mean public order resources are under significant strain – although there are options to improve the policing response.

ANALYSIS: It’s now six months since the largest pro-Palestinian March in London, and the reaction to the policing of the event that led to the departure of Home Secretary Suella Braverman; as protests around the Middle East conflict continue, highlighted recently with the handling of an antisemitism campaigner’s attempt to walk through a march, Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone looks again at the claims of two-tier policing, the difficulties officers face, and the role politicians play in increasing tension.

FEATURE: The significant increase in public protests and marches, particularly since the start of the current conflict in the Middle East, has brought with it accusations of a ‘two-tier’ approach to policing supporters; but as Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone – whose 30-year policing career included many large public order events – explains, while those different tiers, tactics and approaches exist, they are based on threat, risk, information and intelligence, rather than race, religion or political persuasion.

ANALYSIS: The ongoing demonstrations across the UK prompted by the Israel-Gaza conflict have reignited the debate about the police response to public protest; Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone, whose 30-year policing career included many large public order events, takes a closer look at the legislation governing protests, the guidance officers receive around intervention, and why the decision not to arrest during a protest may be justice wisely delayed rather than denied.

OPINION: The UK’s new Public Order Act completed its late night passage through the House of Lords this week, with the Government using rare secondary legislation to secure its success; Senior Policing Lecturer Owen West, a former chief superintendent and public order policing specialist, believes it is not only members of the upper house who regret the new law – police officers and commanders will face an impossible task in trying to interpret and implement the Act.

ANALYSIS: The Public Order Bill making its way through the UK Parliament has attracted both support and criticism, with opponents highlighting concerns around new police powers in relation to protest techniques such as ‘locking on’ and tunnelling; Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone, a subject matter expert on public order policing, believes the Bill balances the right to protest with need for new laws to tackle the more disruptive actions of protestors.

ANALYSIS: Senior UK police chiefs met with the Prime Minister and Home Secretary earlier this month to discuss the criminal activism in some recent protests, with Mr Sunak pledging to give police “whatever they need” in relation to additional powers; but Policing Insight’s Graham Wettone, a subject matter expert on public order policing and protest groups, believes more effective use of existing legislation, together with a stronger response from the criminal justice system, could bring greater benefits than new laws.

OPINION: Recent protest activities in the UK – in particular those by the Just Stop Oil group – have prompted much debate about the effectiveness of the police response to such actions; Graham Wettone, who spent much of his policing career managing public order policing, highlights some key challenges in responding to the current protests, and why it may be time for a more robust approach to those groups unwilling to engage.

INTERVIEW: Ahead of this week’s London Policing College workshop on policing public protest in Germany, keynote speaker Dr Bernd Bürger of the Bavarian Police Institute of Further Education spoke to Policing Insight’s Keith Potter about the importance of communication and negotiation in handling demonstrations, the need for officers and commanders to have expertise and experience, and the benefits of establishing full-time public order policing units.

OPINION: This month the UK Home Secretary has instructed the HMICFRS to carry out a thematic inspection of public order policing; crowd policing expert and former police Chief Superintendent Owen West looks at current guidance on the issue, and why the political context of this decision raises concerns over the curtailing of democratic rights.

Analysis: The recent Extinction Rebellion demonstrations brought the policing of protests into sharp focus with officers' seemingly 'softly, softly' approach drawing both praise and criticism. Former Greater Manchester Police ACC Ian Wiggett argues the importance of knowing where to draw the line between engaging with protesters and 'stepping in'.