The Home Office has introduced new powers for police to manage protests near places of worship in response to recent "intimidating protests" outside synagogues and mosques.
The measures will allow police to impose conditions on protests – such as restricting the timing or route of a march – if it risks disrupting worshippers.
The law banning people from climbing on war memorials will also be extended to cover the National Holocaust Memorial, set to be built in Westminster in the coming years.
The new powers, introduced as amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill, aim to protect synagogues, mosques, churches, and other religious sites.
In a statement, the Home Office said that these changes will allow police to impose conditions on protests if they believe the "purpose of those organising the protest is the intimidation of others" and added that the new rules would provide police with "total clarity on how and when they can protect religious sites".
The measures follow the summer riots of 2024, which led to event cancellations, discouraged worshippers from attending services, and targeted mosques. Anti-Semitic hate crimes increased by 113 per cent, while anti-Muslim hate crimes rose by 13 per cent, according to Home Office figures.
Commenting on the changes, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper emphasised that while the right to protest is fundamental, it should not infringe on the freedoms of others.
Police will still need to assess whether protest conditions are proportionate, balancing freedom of expression with the right to avoid serious disruption.
The government is also allocating "up to £50m" to protect faith communities in the coming year.