Summarised by Centrist
A late amendment to the Gangs Bill may make it illegal for repeat offenders to display gang insignia even in the privacy of their own homes. Critics say the change is a step too far, invading personal freedoms and undermining democracy.
The amendment would require courts to issue gang insignia prohibition orders for those convicted of publicly displaying patches three times in five years. The consequence would be to ban them from possessing or controlling gang insignia in their homes for five years.
Chris Macklin of the Law Society’s Criminal Law Committee has said that this late addition limits freedom of expression and has been “railroaded” through the legislative process without proper consultation.
“It’s a substantial change: a state reach into a very private space, namely a person’s home, and that’s the kind of thing that you would expect to be only implemented with the utmost care,” he said.
Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith defended the amendment, stating it targets a small group of offenders who repeatedly defy the law.
Labour’s Justice spokesperson Duncan Webb called the late introduction of the offence provision a breach of good parliamentary practice.
