Public Order and Security Act [Chapter 11:17] as amended at 11th January, 2008 27A Gatherings in vicinity of Parliament, courts and protected places14 (1) Subject to subsection (2), all gatherings within a radius of— (a) twenty metres of the vicinity of the Parliament; (b) one hundred metres of the vicinity of the Supreme Court, the High Court, a Magistrates Court or any other court; (c) one hundred metres of any protected place or area declared as such in terms of the Protected Areas and Places Act [Chapter 11:12]; are prohibited. (2) Subsection (1) does not apply to any gathering for which permission has, on written application to the Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Chief Justice, the Judge President or the responsible authority of a place referred to in subsection(1)(c), as the case may be, been granted in writing to the convener thereof: Provided that the convener shall give prior notice of such gathering in writing, together with the appropriate permission attached thereto, to the regulating authority. (3) For the avoidance of doubt it is declared that a “gathering” in subsection (1) does not refer to a gathering of any persons who are employed in, or concerned in any business conducted at, Parliament or a court or other place referred to in subsection (1). 27B Appeals15 (1) Any convener who is aggrieved by— (a) any prohibition notice,; or (b) the contents of the directions issued in terms of section 26, or conditions under which a gathering is authorised, including any amendment thereof; or (c) order issued in terms of section 27; may appeal against it to the Magistrates Court in the area where the gathering is proposed to be held, and the magistrate may confirm, vary or set aside the prohibition notice, direction, condition or order and give such order or direction in the matter as he or she thinks just: Provided that the noting of an appeal in terms of this section shall not have the effect of suspending any prohibition order appealed against. (2) An appeal in terms of subsection (1) shall be dealt with on an urgent basis and in any case before the date of the proposed gathering unless, due to the fault of the convener, the appeal is not lodged timeously. 28 Civil liability in certain circumstances of organiser of public gathering16 (1) If the convener of a gathering— (a) has not given notice of the holding of the gathering in terms of subsection (1) of section twenty-four, or (b) fails or refuses to comply to the best of his ability with any direction, notice or order given in terms of section twenty-five, twenty-six or twenty-seven; or 14 Section inserted by section 6 of Act 18/2007. 15 Section inserted by section 6 of Act 18/2007. 16 Section as amended by section 9 of Act 18/2007. - 12 -