Have had a quick look at the thread and videos. Seems pretty simple to me - if the police consider that the Standing for Women does not fall within the "protest" exception for the rule of six regulations because they aren't a political body then they are wrong /1
The exception is in Regulation 5(3)(i)
"gathering is for the purposes of protest and—
(i)it has been organised by a business, a charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institution, a public body, or a political body" /2
legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/684/…
"Political body" is defined elsewhere in a different law (unhelpfully, how are people meant to follow this?) Is *very* wide.
It includes a "political campaigning organisation" which is any legal person which "promote, or oppose, changes in any law"
legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2009/649/… /3
Don't forget that just being a political body isn't the end of the question of whether you fit into the exception. You also have to comply with 5G which means doing a risk assessment and following govt social distancing guidance. But that wasn't the issue here as far as I know /4
This is the description of the organisation which sounds like it falls squarely within the definition of a 'political body'. Worrying to see the police restricting protest in this way. I haven't looked at their own guidance but I'm guessing it sets this out /5
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