175Exclusion direction

175 Exclusion direction (1) This section applies if a police officer reasonably believes that a person (whether part of a group or not) has recently engaged in, is engaged in, or is likely in the immediate future to engage in, conduct— (a) involving— (i) violence towards, or intimidation of, a person; or (ii) damage to property; or (b) that would cause a reasonable person to fear for their safety. (2) However, this section does not apply to a person who (whether part of a group or not) is— (a) picketing a place of employment; or

(b) demonstrating or protesting about a particular issue; or (c) speaking, bearing or otherwise identifying with a banner, placard or sign or otherwise behaving in a way that is apparently intended to publicise the person’s view about a particular issue. (3) The police officer may give the person a direction (an exclusion direction) to do any of the following: (a) immediately leave an area specified by the officer (an exclusion zone); (b) remain outside the exclusion zone for a period, decided by the officer (an exclusion period), of not more than 6 hours; (c) leave the exclusion zone by a particular route, or in a particular direction, decided by the officer.