Licences > Notification of a public meeting > Limitations concerning place of assembly
District Police Departments

Contact information

Limitations concerning place of assembly



The Assembly Act defines a public meeting as a demonstration or other event organized for the exercise of freedom of assembly and at which people other than those specifically invited may join in or follow. However, a demonstration organized for the sole purpose of allowing individuals to voice their personal opinions is not considered a public meeting.

If notification has been made for more than one public meeting to take place in the same place at the same time and this is not possible, priority is given to the provider of the first notification, unless tradition or agreement concerning the meeting place makes it reasonable to decide otherwise. The police may, having consulted with the contact persons, reschedule meetings or suggest some other suitable location.

If organizing a public meeting in the place intended would endanger people’s safety, cause considerable harm to the environment or damage to property, cause undue disturbance to outsiders, traffic, an international meeting organized by a public body or similar event in terms of the need for security measures, the police may, having discussed the matter with the contact person, order that the meeting be held somewhere else more suitable for the purpose of the meeting.

The police may also for the sake of avoiding traffic problems and having discussed the matter with the contact person order that the route of a procession be changed, considering, however, that the route change does not compromise the purpose of the procession.

The police can also act without consulting the contact person if he/she is unavailable.





Back | Print page


Share