Schools should be protected against anti-vaccination protesters by the use of exclusion orders, Sir Keir Starmer has urged.
The Labour leader said it was “sickening” that those against vaccinations were demonstrating at the school gates, and in some cases threatening staff with physical harm.
He wants to see public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) fast-tracked so exclusion zones can be rapidly set up around schools.
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) revealed earlier this month that most of the schools surveyed by the union (79%) had been targeted by anti-vaccination campaigners.
This was mainly through emails threatening legal action, but the ASCL said in some cases staff had been threatened with physical harm, and protesters had gained access to some school sites.
Sir Keir said: “It is sickening that anti-vax protesters are spreading dangerous misinformation to children in protests outside of schools.
“The uptake of vaccines among children is far too low and the Government’s rollout is painfully slow. Everything must be done to get those eligible jabbed as quickly as possible in this public health emergency.
“Labour believes the law around public spaces protection orders (PSPOs) urgently needs to be updated so that local authorities can rapidly create exclusion zones for anti-vax protests outside of schools.”
PSPOs can be used to disperse people from a public area and have previously been used to move on protesters outside abortion clinics, or to allow police to confiscate alcohol in certain spaces.
But gaining permission to impose one takes time and significant consultation, and Labour is calling for an expedited process to prevent harassment and intimidation of children outside schools if agreed to by the school, the leader of the local council, and the local police chief constable.
The PSPO could be in place within five days, and could be in place for six months.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, said: “We would welcome any action which helps to keep anti-vaccination campaigners away from schools and which allows pupils and staff to go about their business without this intrusion.
“Schools are operating under great pressure because of the disruption which continues to be caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The last thing they need is the additional problem of protesters outside their gates.”
He added that jabs were key to keeping pupils in the classroom, and said: “If protesters think otherwise, there are plenty of outlets for them to express their views without resorting to targeting schools.”
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “No child should be made to feel scared or intimidated on their journey to and from school.
“Pupils have endured enough disruption to their education in recent months, so there is absolutely no place for angry protests outside school gates.”
The ASCL previously said that of the 526 responses from schools eligible for the Covid vaccination programme for 12 to 15-year-olds, 13% had reported seeing protesters immediately outside their school premises, and 20% reported protesters in the local area.
Some 18 schools said protesters had gained access and protested inside the school premises, and 20 said they had received communications threatening physical harm to staff.
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