Face coverings banned in Sheffield city centre as police announce measures to deal with protest
Measures taken to deal with planned city centre protests
Face coverings are being banned from a huge area near Sheffield city centre, as part of police measures to deal with a protest march.
The right wing group Sheffield Patriots and the left wing organisation Sheffield Communities Against Racism and Fascism (SCARF), are planning demonstrations in the city centre on Saturday, September 26.
Now police have announced they are using special powers to ban face coverings, and have announced specific zones where protesters and counter-protesters will be allowed to gather.
The ban on face coverings will apply for the area inside Sheffield’s inner ring road, as well as an additional area behind Sheffield railway station.
A police spokesman said the face covering ban under Section 158 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 would be in place from 7am on the day and will be in place for 24 hours.
The added: “This means that anyone wearing a face covering or other item that conceals their identity within the designated area may be committing an offence under Section 157.”
Police say the groups are expected to gather in the city centre before midday and a policing operation would be in place around the protest.
Legal conditions imposed on the right wing group are that they must not assemble at the Peace Gardens before 11am and must leave the location no later than 1pm.
They also must not assemble at Sheffield Railway Station before 1.30pm and they must leave before 3.30pm.
They must assemble in the designated areas in both locations.
For those supporting the counter-protest, the conditions imposed on the group is that they must not assemble at Sheffield Railway Station before 10am and must leave before 3.30pm.
They must assemble in designated areas.