Mary Cunneen, associate director of Liberty, says:

"The right to peaceful protest is a key pillar of any democratic society. To make it a criminal offence is unnecessary, particularly as the police already have ample powers to arrest people who engage in intimidating acts.

"We may well sympathise with an individual employee who has a protest outside his house. But will this law end up protecting the official residences of the rich and powerful - cabinet ministers, foreign embassies and the like?"