CAP. 132 CONTROL OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND PROCESSIONS ACT BELIZE

CONTROL OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND

PUBLIC PROCESSIONS ACT

CHAPTER 132

REVISED EDITION 2000

SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000

This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner

under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize,

Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.

This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3

CONTROL OF PUBLIC MEETINGS 4

AND PUBLIC PROCESSIONS ACT

Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.

BELIZE

CONTROL OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND

PUBLIC PROCESSIONS ACT

CHAPTER 132

REVISED EDITION 2000

SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000

This is a revised edition of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissioner

under the authority of the Law Revision Act, Chapter 3 of the Laws of Belize,

Revised Edition 1980 - 1990.

This edition contains a consolidation of the following laws- Page

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 3

CONTROL OF PUBLIC MEETINGS 4

AND PUBLIC PROCESSIONS ACT

Amendments in force as at 31st December, 2000.

THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZE REVISED EDITION 2000

Printed by the Government Printer,

No. 1 Power Lane,

Belmopan, by the authority of

the Government of Belize.

Control of Public Meetings and Public Processions [CAP. 132

[ ]

3

CHAPTER 132

CONTROL OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND

PUBLIC PROCESSIONS

ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS

1 . Short title.

2. Interpretation.

3. Certain meetings require permission.

4. Application for permission.

5. Notice of meeting.

6. Penalty.

7. Processions.

8. Permits.

9. Display of permit.

10. Penalty.

11. Exceptions.

12. Power to require dispersal of meetings.

13. Leader of procession may be required to call on procession to disperse.

14. Prohibition on public procession and demonstration at public meetings.

15. Permission required for a non-national to address meetings.

16. Use of noisy instruments prohibited in certain circumstances.

17. Amendment of Schedule.

18. Designated places.

SCHEDULE

CHAPTER 132

CONTROL OF PUBLIC MEETINGS AND

PUBLIC PROCESSIONS

[5th July, 1967]

1. This Act may be cited as the Control of Public Meetings and Public

Processions Act.

2. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:-

“appropriate officer” means, for any public meeting or public procession in the

Belize Judicial District, the Commissioner of Police or a senior police officer

designated by him, and for any public meeting or public procession in any

other judicial district, the senior police officer in such district;

“designated place” means any place designated by the Minister in exercise of

the powers conferred upon him by section 18;

“meeting” means any gathering or assembly of five or more persons convened

or held for any purpose which includes any political purpose, but does not

14 of 1967.

15 of 1981.

6 of 1984.

22 of 1987.

S.I. 78 of 1973.

Short title.

Interpretation.

15 of 1981.

15 of 1981.

CAP. 103,

R.E. 1980-1990.

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Control of Public Meetings and Public Processions [CAP. 132

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include any gathering or assembly convened and held exclusively for the lawful

purposes of any public body, any gathering or assembly of members of any

registered trade union convened and held exclusively for the lawful purposes of

such trade union, or any gathering or assembly convened and held exclusively

for social, cultural, charitable, recreational, religious, professional, commercial

or industrial purposes;

“Minister” means the Minister of Government responsible for National Security;

“noisy instrument” means any apparatus which is designed, adapted or intended

for the reproducing of sounds over a wide area and includes a loudspeaker,

amplifier, microphone, juke box and other similar instrument, apparatus or

device;

“offensive weapon” means any article made or adapted for use for causing

injury to the person or intended by the person having it with him for such use by

him;

“public body” means the Government or any local or public authority, and any

board, commission, committee or other body which under any law is invested

with functions of a public nature;

“public meeting” means any meeting held in a public place;

“public place” means any place to which whether for the time being or at all

times the public or any section of the public are entitled or permitted to have

access whether on payment or otherwise;

“public procession” means any procession in, to or from a public place;

“town” means any town specified in the Schedule to this Act and includes Belize

City and the City of Belmopan.

15 of 1981.

Schedule.

15 of 1981.

3.-(1) No public meeting shall take place in any town other than in a desig-

nated place unless a permit for such meeting has been issued in accordance

with the provisions of section 4.

(2) Where a public meeting is to be held at a designated place after notice

to the appropriate officer or at any other place upon a permit issued by such

officer, the appropriate officer may declare in writing addressed to the person

giving the notice of the meeting or to the person applying for a permit, that:-

(a) the said meeting shall commence no earlier than a stated time

and shall cease no later than a stated time;

(b) no person shall carry any firearm, cutting weapon of any kind

or any other offensive weapon at the meeting;

(c) the said meeting shall be subject to such other restrictions as

the appropriate officer may think necessary to maintain public

order.

(3) Where any meeting is held in contravention of any of the conditions so

imposed under subsection (2) by the appropriate officer it shall render:-

(a) any person who held, commenced or organised the said

meeting; and

(b) the person actually acting in contravention of any such condition,

guilty of an offence under this Act and liable upon summary conviction to a fine

of one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term of six months, or to both

such fine and term of imprisonment.

4.-(1) Any person wishing to hold, convene or organise a public meeting in a

town other than in a designated place in such town shall inform the appropriate

officer in writing at least thirty-six hours before such meeting is to be held.

Certain meetings

require permission.

15 of 1981.

Application for

permission.

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(2) The appropriate officer shall, unless he is of the opinion that the holding

of such meeting is likely to cause any obstruction to traffic or to cause

inconvenience to the public or to cause a breach of the peace, issue a permit in

writing for such meeting:

Provided that the appropriate officer may refuse a permit for the holding of

any meeting at any place which is, in his opinion, in too close proximity to the

site of any meeting of which he has received notice or for which he has already

granted a permit.

(3) Any person who is aggrieved by the refusal of the appropriate officer

to issue a permit may appeal to a magistrate and the magistrate may, after

hearing such person and the appropriate officer or such other police officer as

the appropriate officer may appoint, if he is of the opinion that the public meeting

is not likely to cause any obstruction to traffic or to inconvenience the public or

to cause a breach of the peace, allow the appeal and the appropriate officer

shall thereupon issue a permit:

Provided that no permit shall be issued for the holding, convening or organising

of any public meeting on any day between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00

a.m. of the following day.

(4) Where any person wishes to appeal against the refusal of an appropriate

officer to issue a permit he shall appear before a magistrate and shall give to the

appropriate officer notice in writing of the fact and time of his appearance at

least six hours before such appearance.

5.-(1) Any person who wishes to hold, convene or organise a public meeting

either in a designated place in a town or anywhere other than in a town shall

give notice in writing to the appropriate officer at least twelve hours before such

meeting is to be held but no permit shall be required for such a meeting:

15 of 1981.

15 of 1981.

Notice of

meeting.

15 of 1981.

Provided that no person shall on any day hold, convene or organise any

such public meeting between the hours of 12:00 midnight and 6:00 a.m. of the

following day.

(2) Upon receipt of such notice the appropriate officer may, if he is of the

opinion that such public meeting is in too close proximity to a meeting of which

he has already received notice or for which he has already granted a permit,

prohibit the holding of such public meeting.

6.-(1) Any person who holds, convenes or organises a public meeting for

which no permit is required without giving twelve hours notice in writing to the

appropriate officer or after such meeting has been prohibited by the appropriate

officer under subsection (2) of section 5 is guilty of an offence and is liable on

summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars.

(2) Any person who holds, convenes or organises a public meeting for

which a permit is required without a permit having been issued for such meeting

is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding

five hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months,

or to both such fine and term of imprisonment.

(3) Any person who attends or takes part in any public meeting for which

a permit is required but for which no permit has been issued is guilty of an

offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred

dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two months, or to both

such fine and term of imprisonment.

7. No person shall organise, form or take part in any public procession

in any town unless a permit for such procession has been granted by the

appropriate officer.

8.-(1) Any person wishing to organise or form a public procession in a town

shall apply to the appropriate officer at least thirty-six hours before such

procession is to be formed.

Penalty.

15 of 1981.

Processions.

15 of 1981.

15 of 1981.

Permits.

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(2) The appropriate officer may, if he thinks fit, grant a permit in writing to

any applicant to organise or form a public procession and shall, in such permit,

set out the route which such procession is to follow, the time at which it may

commence and the time by which it shall cease:

Provided always that all processions shall cease by 7:00 o’clock in the

evening.

(3) The appropriate officer may, if he considers it necessary, require any

applicant to enter into a bond in favour of Her Majesty in a sum not exceeding

one thousand dollars with one or more sureties to his satisfaction conditioned

for the good behaviour of all persons taking part in such public procession, and

where there is any contravention of the foregoing provisions of this subsection,

the amount secured by the bond shall be forfeited forthwith.

(4) No person shall in any public procession carry or have on or about his

person any naked flame or any offensive weapon, except with lawful authority,

the proof of which shall lie with him.

9. Where any permit for a public meeting or a public procession has been

issued under the provisions of this Act such permit shall during the continuance

of such meeting be displayed in a conspicuous place at such meeting or, in the

case of a public procession, at the starting place of such procession.

10.-(l) Any person who organises or forms a public procession for which a

permit has not been granted in accordance with the provisions of this Act shall

be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not

exceeding five hundred dollars or to a term of imprisorument not exceeding one

year, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment.

(2) Any person who takes part in any public procession for which a permit

has not been granted or who is in breach of section 8(4) is guilty of an offence

and is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars

Display of

permit

15 of 1981.

Penalty.

15 of 1981.

15 of 1981.

15 of 1981.

or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding six months, or to both such fine

and term of imprisonment.

11.-(1) Subject to subsection (2), the provisions of this Act shall not apply to

any funeral or religious procession.

(2) Where any religious or funeral procession is to pass down a one-way

street in the direction other than that specified for vehicles to proceed in such

street at least six hours notice shall be given to the appropriate officer.

12.-(1) Any police officer not below the rank of Assistant Inspector may in

relation to any meeting that is being held in contravention of any permit issued

for the purpose require any person addressing or known to have addressed

such meeting or appearing to him to be the organiser or one of the organisers

of the meeting to call on the meeting to disperse.

(2)Any person required under subsection (1) to call on any meeting to disperse,

who refuses, fails or neglects immediately to call on such meeting to disperse

shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine of five

hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to

both such fine and term of imprisonment.

13.-(1) Any police officer not below the rank of Assistant Inspector may re-

quire any person:-

(a) who is the organiser or who is the leader of any procession-

(i) that is in contravention of the provisions of

this Act;

(ii) that is otherwise than in accordance with the terms of

a permit issued for the purpose; or

Exceptions.

Power to require

dispersal of

meetings.

15 of 1981.

Leader of

procession may be

required to call on

procession to

disperse.

15 of 1981.

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(iii) that takes place in such circumstances as have caused

such police officer reasonably to apprehend that any

person or persons has acted or is acting or is about to

act in a manner prejudicial to public safety or public

order; or

(b) reasonably appearing to him to be the organiser or the leader

or one of the organisers or leaders of any such procession,

to call on such public procession to disperse.

(2) A person required under subsection (1) to call on any public procession

to disperse who refuses, fails or neglects immediately to call on such public

procession to disperse shall be guilty of an offence and shall on summary

conviction be liable to a fine of one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a

period not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment.

(3) Where any person who is required under subsection (1) to call upon

any public procession to disperse refuses, fails or neglects so to do, any such

police officer may call upon such public procession to disperse.

(4) Any person present at any public procession that is called upon to

disperse under subsection (1) or subsection (3) who falls to comply with such

requirements shall he guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary

conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars or to imprisonment for a

term not exceeding three months, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment.

14. No public meeting may be conducted in such a manner as to result in a

public procession that is not permitted under this Act, and if a public meeting is

conducted in such a manner that such a public procession originates or takes

place following such a public meeting, the holder or holders or the organiser or

organisers of such public meeting shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable

on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to

Prohibition on

public

procession and

demonstration at

public meetings.

15 of 1981.

imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and

term of imprisonment.

15.-(1) Any person other than a national or resident of Belize who desires to

address a public meeting or take part in a public procession shall no more than

seventy-two hours before the date on which such meeting or procession is to

take place apply to the appropriate officer for a permit so to do, and the

appropriate officer may in any case grant or refuse the application.

(2) Any such person other than a national or resident of Belize who without

a permit issued for the purpose addresses a public meeting or takes part in a

public procession shall be guilty of an offence and on summary conviction be

liable to a fine not exceeding two thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a

term not exceeding twelve months, or to both such fine and term of

imprisonment.

16.-(1) Any person who wishes to publicise the holding of any public meeting

or public procession by means of any noisy instrument or to use any such

instrument at any public meeting or procession shall at least twenty-four hours

before the hour at which it is proposed to commence the meeting or procession

and before any such instrument is used for the said purpose apply to the

appropriate officer for a permit to use such noisy instrument.

(2) The appropriate officer may, if he considers that the grant of a permit

in terms of subsection (1) will not inconvenience the public or the neighbourhood

in which it is proposed to use it, issue a permit for the use of a particular noisy

instrument stipulating such conditions as to the time and route as he may consider

necessary. The refusal of the appropriate officer to issue such a permit shall

be final.

(3) Notwithstanding the issue of a permit under subsection (2) of this

section, no person shall for the purpose of any public meeting or public

procession use any noisy instrument at any time of day or night within one

hundred yards of any hospital, or of any court of law or school while the court

Permission

required for a

non-national to

address meetings.

15 of 1981.

Use of noisy

instruments

prohibited in

certain

circumstances.

15 of 1981.

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Control of Public Meetings and Public Processions [CAP. 132

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or school is in session or of any church, chapel or other building appropriated

for religious worship while any divine worship is going on.

(4) The permit issued by the appropriate officer under this section shall be

carried and made available for examination by any police officer at all times

when such public meeting or public procession is being publicised or held.

(5) Any person who organises, holds, speaks at or takes part in any public

meeting or public procession at which a noisy instrument is used without a

permit issued by the appropriate officer or in violation of any condition subject

to which it is issued or in contravention of the provisions of subsection (3) or

(4) of this section shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on summary

conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars or to imprisonment for

a term not exceeding six months, or to both such fine and term of imprisonment,

and the noisy instrument which was the subject of the offence shall be liable to

be forfeited to the Crown.

17. The Minister may, by Order published in the Gazette, amend the Sched-

ule to this Act by adding any town thereto or deleting any town therefrom and

any such amendment shall be subject to negative resolution.

18. The Minister may, by Order, published in the Gazette, declare any

place in a town to be a designated place for the purposes of this Act.

Amendment.

Schedule.

Designated

places.

SCHEDULE

[Section 21]

Towns

Belize City

Benque Viejo del Carmen

City of Belmopan

Corozal Town

Dangriga

Orange Walk Town

Punta Gorda

San Ignacio and Santa Elena