Permits for Public Assemblies Issued under Public Order Act in 2017
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Sylvia Lim’s inquiry regarding the distribution and nature of over 900 public assembly permits issued in 2017 under the Public Order Act. Minister K Shanmugam clarified that 835 permits were for outdoor events like religious and grassroots celebrations, with only one permit issued for Speakers’ Corner. He explained that Speakers’ Corner events are generally permit-exempt unless they involve foreign participants, such as a 2017 breastfeeding awareness event. Under the Act, permits are required for gatherings that publicise causes, mark events, or demonstrate support or opposition to specific views or government actions. Minister K Shanmugam noted that the Police grant permits after assessing the event in totality to ensure it is not political, controversial, or divisive.
Transcript
3 Ms Sylvia Lim asked the Minister for Home Affairs with respect to the over 900 permits for public assemblies issued under the Public Order Act in 2017 (a) what proportion of permits related to events held at Speakers' Corner as opposed to events at other venues; (b) whether there have been any permits issued for outdoor assemblies at venues other than Speakers' Corner and, if so, what has been the nature of these assemblies; and (c) for the permits granted for events at Speakers' Corner, what are the reasons for requiring a permit for those events.
Mr K Shanmugam: Of the over 900 Police permits issued for public assemblies in 2017, only one was for a public assembly at Speakers' Corner.
The rest were for public assemblies held elsewhere. Eight hundred and thirty-five of them were outdoor events. These events were mostly religious celebrations, and constituency events organised by grassroots organisations. Under the Public Order Act, a Police permit is required for a public assembly if the purpose of the gathering is to:
(a) demonstrate support for or opposition to the views or actions of any persons, group of persons or any government;
(b) publicise a cause or campaign; or
(c) mark or commemorate any event.
As for Speakers' Corner, there were 40 public events held there in 2017. A Police permit is not required if the event meets the conditions set out in the Public Order (Unrestricted Area) Order 2016.
The one event in 2017 at Speakers' Corner where a Police permit was granted was a public assembly to promote awareness on breastfeeding. The event involved the participation of foreigners, which is against one of the exemption conditions. The Police granted a permit after assessing the event in totality, including that it did not promote a cause that was political, controversial or divisive in nature.