FOI - Parliament Square rally permissions [Aug 2024]

You requested:

On Monday 29^th  July 2024, at approximately 1.30pm a large group of mainly gentlemen carrying flags and banners chanting on Parliament Square, on various footpaths and on the green itself. Some were running with what l believe to be Bangladeshi flags in large numbers on the main square.

1. Please can you confirm if permission was given to any group to rally/protest on Parliament Square from 1pm onwards on the 29^th July 2024 and provide both names of the groups and names of organisers who applied
2. Please confirm the the date in which the application/s were made
3. Please confirm if they had permission to amplify shouting and chanting
4. Please confirm if this group had Public Liability Insurance and if so to what amount was insured
5. Please confirm details of who approved this application to rally if it was an authorised event
6. If unauthorised, please confirm action to be taken
7.  

Our response:

I can confirm that the GLA holds this information within scope of your request.

1. Please can you confirm if permission was given to any group to rally/protest on Parliament Square from 1pm onwards on the 29^th July 2024 and provide both names of the groups and names of organisers who applied

• No authorisations had been issued for activities taking place on Monday 29 July 2024 at the GLA managed area of Parliament Square Gardens. We would not share personal information regarding rally applicants.

2. Please confirm the the date in which the application/s were made

• n/a

3. Please confirm if they had permission to amplify shouting and chanting

• n/a

4. Please confirm if this group had Public Liability Insurance and if so to what amount was insured

• n/a

5. Please confirm details of who approved this application to rally if it was an authorised event

• n/a

6. If unauthorised, please confirm action to be taken 

• The GLA has an application and authorisation process outlined on our website to ensure adherence to the byelaws. Enforcement against non-compliance with the byelaws is proportional to the impact caused. Please note that the application and authorisation process only applies to the GLA managed area. It does not apply to the pavement on the south and east of the Square.