Mark Littlewood, Liberty's director of campaigns,said:

"The Bill creates excessive powers that risk demonising young people - and treating any group of young people, however innocent, as a gathering of near-criminals.

The powers this Bill proposes risk judging people not by what they do but simply by what other people think of them - and taking
police action on that basis. This must be a concern.

"Mr Blunkett himself told Parliament three weeks ago that those being given this batch of new powers still don't know what they could be doing with the last batch.

"The truth is that existing powers, with improved resources, could tackle these problems. Stacking up more powers and regulations just adds to inefficiency and confusion".