Keeping Order
The chair’s primary duty is to preserve order. Usually they will have no difficulty because most people possess a sense of fairness which instinctively makes them respect the authority of the chair. This is particularly true of members of organisations whose meetings are regularly held and who, by contact, learn to trust the chair. Members feel they are responsible for maintaining the good name of the society. Most organisations do, however, take the precaution of giving the chair very extensive powers to deal with those who are out deliberately to create trouble. In such cases the chair should never hesitate to use their powers by imposing any penalties which the rules provide, but they should always bear in mind that troublesome members can often be called to order by polite persuasion. This should always be tried first, but if it fails the chair must adopt firmer measures. Generally the members will support them in this.
Naming a member
After persuasion has failed, the chair should request the member to withdraw from the meeting. If they refuse to go, or if the chair feels that their conduct has been grossly disorderly, the chair should name them. They do this by announcing the member’s name loudly so that all may hear, and at the same time requesting the secretary to make a note of the incident. A member who has been named should not be allowed to take any further part in the meeting. If it is a conference they should be reported to the branch of which they are a delegate, for them to take such disciplinary action as they feel is necessary.
Disorder at public meetings
As has been said, it is unusal for disorder to become serious at regular meetings and conferences of members, but the situation may be different at public meetings where deliberate attempts may be made to break up a meeting and shout down the speakers. This is not the same as heckling. No one reasonably objects to interjecting a remark or question when a speaker is on their feet if it is done with good humour and is not so persistent as to disturb the meeting as a whole. Some speakers positively welcome it.
But systematic attempts to disrupt – for example by a small number of persons chanting slogans – are something different. If the disorder assumes such proportions that the chair deems it necessary to adjourn the meeting, they can do so on their own initiative without anyone moving the adjournment. But this may be playing right into the hands of those who came to disrupt the meeting. It therefore seems best for the chair to use their persuasive powers to secure order. If persuasion proves unsuccessful, then the chair should use the authority vested in them to have the interrupter or interrupters ejected. But if it becomes clear that the interruption is organised, and that the stewards are not able to control it without the proceedings degenerating into a brawl, the chair should without hesitation call in the police. This may be distateful, but any chair is fully entitled to do this if the circumstances, in their opinion, make it necessary.
Public Order Act
Editor’s note: The relevant part of the Public Order Act 1936 quoted in the below two sections has been repealed by the Public Order Act 1986, which replaced ‘breach of the peace’ with new charges covering words or behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress. Do not rely on these sections for present-day legal advice.
The police have considerable powers to control disorderly behaviour at meetings, particularly under Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1936 whereby it is an offence for any person in any public place or at any public meeting to use threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace or whereby a breach of the peace is likely to be occasioned.
The law envisages the following sequence of events:
- Some person or persons must act in a disorderly manner.
- Their object must be to prevent the meeting from transacting its business.
- The interrupter must be disorderly themselves or incite others to become disorderly.
- The police must be requested to act by the chair.
- They are empowered to demand the offender’s name and address.
- If a person refuses they may be arrested and fined.
- If they are suspected of giving a false name and address they may be arrested.
- If the particulars given prove false they may be fined.
Ejection from meetings
In the case of meetings held on private premises, whether in a public hall or any other building, the audience are there by permission of the conveners. The Public Order Act defines private premises as premises to which the public have access only be permission of the owner, occupier or lessee. It does not matter whether the audience have paid for admission or whether admission is free. Permission for them to be present can be withdrawn by the chair at any time, and they can request any person to leave the meeting. If a person to whom such a request is made refuses to leave, they become a trespasser and may be removed. The duty of moving them normally rests upon the stewards, and they are entitled to use reasonable force in putting them out if they resist. If the interruption has been sufficiently serious, the chair should first warn those present of the powers vested in them by the law, and then request the stewards to obtain the name and address of each interrupter.
If the interrupter gives a proper name and address the chair should then, if they feel it necessary, request them to leave the meeting. if the offender does not do so, the chair should instruct the stewards to remove them. If the offender refuses to go out quietly, struggles with the stewards, and the incident shows signs of developing into a fight (or in other words if a breach of the peace appears imminent), the police should then be called in, or the police may intervene on their own authority. The main job of the police is to prevent a breach of the peace, and if they anticipate this, even though the meeting is held on private premises, they do not become trespassers if they disobey a request to leave. In other words, the police can stay as long as they like providing they have reasonable grounds to fear a breach of the peace.
Role of stewards
Stewards should not be aggressive. They should never eject an interrupter without the authority of the chair. If they see a member of the audience behaving badly, they should quietly warn the chair. If the chair orders them to be put out, the stewards should never use more force than is necessary. Otherwise they will expose themselves to an action for assault.
Incitement from the platform
It has been assumed throughout that disorder and the danger of a breach of the peace has come from the audience, but there are speakers and chairs who themselves are so provocative that their conduct may bring them within the arm of the law. They may deliberately incite an audience to a breach of the peace by themselves using insulting and abusive language or inciting their audience to racial hatred, in breach of the race relations legislation. Such people should remember that the law applies equally to them as to their hearers. If they really want an orderly meeting, it is for them to set an example by treating their audience with respect, tolerance and good humour.