Group of Peers in UK's House of Lords Want To Block Law That Would Punish Being Annoying

Say it is a threat to free speech

A group of peers wants to block a law under which courts could stop people being annoying in public.

Ministers want to replace anti-social behaviour orders in England and Wales with injunctions to prevent nuisance and annoyance.

Courts could impose these on anyone engaging—or threatening to engage—in "conduct capable of causing nuisance or annoyance to any person".

But the Reform Clause 1 group calls the plan a "threat to free speech".