Sue Darton

Councils are zealously enforcing bans on shouting and swearing, threatening free speech and making a mockery of criminal law. One in five councils have now introduced bans on swearing, offensive language, or shouting through Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs), which are intended to tackle anti-social behaviour. Breaches can result in fines of up to £1,000. A survey of just under 300 councils found that 61 – 20.3 per cent – have introduced such bans, a fourfold increase from just 16 in 2022. But it doesn’t stop there – it gets worse. Councils across the country have moved on to criminalising everyday behaviour, such as standing in groups, foraging for blackberries, feeding birds, and picking up stones. In Canterbury, shouting in the open countryside has been banned, with taxpayer money spent on erecting signs to deter those who might wish to raise their voice in a field. In another striking example, a woman in Harrow was reportedly arrested earlier this year for feeding birds. Research by the Campaign for Freedom in Everyday Life found that 28 councils (14 per cent) had introduced bans on foul or offensive language, 17 (5.7 per cent) had banned swearing, 16 (5.4 per cent) had outlawed shouting or screaming, and 13 (4.4 per cent) had banned verbal abuse. In total, 61 councils have imposed restrictions on language in some form. Director of the Campaign for Freedom in Everyday Life, Josie Appleton, has said: “Officials shouldn’t be able to punish or restrict anyone on the basis that they might cause ‘offence’. “We urgently need some proper controls to make sure that these powers are tightly worded and only target significant nuisance and harm. “It is incredible that you could now be handed a fine for swearing in the street, shouting across a road, or staring at someone. Council officers have been given the power to criminalise behaviour that has never before been a matter for the law. “This isn’t tackling antisocial behaviour, it is policing ordinary human expression – controlling the words we can use and the gestures we can make.” The Free Speech Union is no stranger to the overreach of councils and the misapplication of PSPOs. Last year, we successfully challenged Thanet District Council’s attempt to introduce a PSPO banning swearing. The proposed order would have given enforcement officers the power to issue £100 fines for anyone “using foul or abusive language in such a manner that can… cause either alarm or distress to any other person in any public place.” We will continue to monitor this sinister trend closely. Read more below 👇