Britain will introduce a new law banning protests outside the homes of public officials, judges and councillors, Reuters reported. The measure is part of efforts to combat harassment and intimidation in politics, the agency noted, BTA reported.
Under the new law, police will have the power to stop demonstrations organized with the aim of influencing officials - both in terms of the performance of their official duties and their private lives, the government announced.
Those convicted of such actions could receive a sentence of up to six months in prison.
"The levels of harassment that people involved in British politics are subjected to are truly shocking - it is a threat to our democracy," said Dan Jarvis, the Minister of State for Security. "People should be able to participate in political life without fearing for their own safety or the safety of their families," he added.
A parliamentary survey found that 96% of British MPs had been the victim of harassment, and an independent body that monitors UK elections said more than half of candidates in the last general election had been threatened.
Before winning the election last year, Prime Minister Keir Starmer also suffered a similar incident after pro-Palestinian activists left children's shoes and a poster outside his London home, urging him to support an arms embargo on Israel.
In 2023, under then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, environmental activists held rallies outside the prime ministers' residences in London and North Yorkshire.
The government said the bill would also introduce new penalties for protest tactics such as climbing military monuments, the use of flares and pyrotechnics, and the wearing of face-covering masks.
Ministers say the measures are aimed at protecting democratic institutions and ensuring safety, but critics say they could limit the right to protest.