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s 18A

Public meetings

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Part 3Offences against public order

18A Public meetings

(1)

A person who, in, at or near a place where a public meeting is being held—

(a)

behaves in a disorderly, indecent, offensive, threatening or insulting manner; or

(b)

uses threatening, abusive or insulting words; or

(c)

in any way, except by lawful authority or on some other lawful ground, obstructs or interferes with—

(i)

a person seeking to attend the meeting; or

(ii)

any of the proceedings at the meeting; or

(iii)

a person presiding at the meeting in the organisation or conduct of the meeting, is guilty of an offence.

Maximum penalty: $1 250 or imprisonment for 3 months.

(2)

Where, in the opinion of the person presiding at a public meeting, a person in, at or near the place at which the meeting is being held—

(a)

is or has been behaving in a disorderly, indecent, offensive, threatening or insulting manner; or

(b)

is or has been using threatening, abusive or insulting words; or

(c)

in any way, except by lawful authority or on some other lawful ground, is or has been obstructing or interfering with—

(i)

a person seeking to attend the meeting; or

(ii)

any of the proceedings at the meeting; or

(iii)

a person presiding at the meeting in the organisation or conduct of the meeting, the person presiding may request a police officer, or the police generally, to remove that person from the place or the area in the vicinity of the place.

(3)

A request made under subsection (2) must be complied with by a police officer present or attending at the place at which the meeting is being held.

(4)

In this section—

person presiding, in relation to a public meeting, includes any person officiating at, or with responsibility for the organisation or conduct of, the meeting;

place means any place whether or not a hall, building or room;

public meeting includes any political, religious, social or other meeting, congregation or gathering that the public or a section of the public are permitted to attend, whether on payment or otherwise.

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Summary Offences Act 1953 s 18A — Public meetings (South Australia) — Barrister AI