[Rev. 2022] Public Order CAP. 56 CHAPTER 56 PUBLIC ORDER ACT [Date of assent: 13th June, 1950.] [Date of commencement: 13th June, 1950.] An Act of Parliament to make provision for the maintenance of public order, and for purposes connected therewith [Act No. 26 of 1950, Act No. 36 of 1950, Act No. 7 of 1958, Act No. 10 of 1958, Act No. 23 of 1960, Act No. 54 of 1960, Act No. 53 of 1960, Legal Notice 402 of 1963, Legal Notice 87 of 1964, Legal Notice 2 of 1964, Act No. 3 of 1964, Act No. 19 of 1964, Legal Notice 153 of 1965, Act No. 12 of 1968, Act No. 10 of 1997, Act No. 12 of 2012, Act No. 19 of 2014.] PART I – PRELIMINARY 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Public Order Act. 2. Interpretation In this Act, except where the context otherwise requires— "Cabinet Secretary" means the Cabinet Secretary for the time being responsible for the administration; "excluded meeting" means— (a) any meeting convened and held exclusively for the lawful purposes of any public body; or (b) any meeting of the members of any registered organisation, whether corporate or unincorporate, convened in accordance with the constitution of the organisation and held exclusively for the lawful purposes of that organisation; (c) any meeting of the members of any trade union convened and held exclusively for the lawful purposes of that trade union; (d) any meeting convened and held exclusively for social, cultural, charitable, educational, commercial or industrial purposes; (e) any meeting of the organs of a political party, convened in accordance with the constitution of the party and held exclusively to discuss the affairs of the party; (f) impromptu "meet-the-people" tours by Members of Parliament and councillors; "hours of darkness" means the hours between half-past six in the evening and half-past six on the following morning; "hours of daylight" means the hours between half-past six in the morning and half-past six in the evening; "meeting" means any gathering of persons (not being an excluded meeting) convened and held for any purpose, including any political purpose; "offensive weapon" means any article made or adapted for use for causing injury to the person, or intended by the person having it in his possession or under his control for such use; 5