(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.