Bans have been introduced by 61 councils out of nearly 300 and fines can be imposed if people do things like standing in groups, foraging for blackberries or feeding birds
More than a fifth of town halls have banned swearing, offensive language and shouting in public in an ‘attack on free speech’.
The bans have been introduced by 61 councils out of nearly 300 surveyed, or 20.6%, a fourfold increase since 2022 when 16 local authorities imposed curbs.
They are enforced via public spaces protection orders (PSPOs), designed to tackle antisocial behaviour. The bans carry fines of up to £1,000 for breaches
Councils were also found to be criminalising “everyday behaviour” such as standing in groups, foraging for blackberries, feeding birds or picking up stones.
The Campaign for Freedom in Everyday Life, which carried out the research, warned that the powers are threatening free speech.
Josie Appleton, the campaign’s director, said: “Officials shouldn’t be able to punish or restrict anyone on the basis that they might cause ‘offence’.
“We urgently need some proper controls to make sure that these powers are tightly worded and only target significant nuisance and harm.
“It is incredible that you could now be handed a fine for swearing in the street, shouting across a road, or staring at someone. Council officers have been given the power to criminalise behaviour that has never before been a matter for the law.
“This isn’t tackling antisocial behaviour, it is policing ordinary human expression – controlling the words we can use and the gestures we can make.”