{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-order-northern-ireland-order-1987/article-8",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-order-northern-ireland-order-1987/article-8.json",
  "legislation": "nisi/1987/463",
  "legislation_title": "The Public Order (Northern Ireland) Order 1987",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/public-order-northern-ireland-order-1987",
  "path": "article/8",
  "kind": "article",
  "number": "8",
  "heading": "Meaning of “fear” and “hatred” etc.",
  "text": "(1) In this Part—\n“fear” means fear of a group of persons. . . defined by reference to religious belief, sexual orientation, disability colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins;\n“hatred” means hatred against a group of persons. . . defined by reference to religious belief, sexual orientation, disability colour, race, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins.\n(2) For the purposes of this Part, any discussion or criticism of marriage which concerns the sex of the parties to marriage is not to be taken of itself to be—\n(a) threatening, abusive or insulting, or\n(b) intended to stir up hatred or arouse fear.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Art. 8(1): art.8 renumbered as art. 8(1) (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 142(a) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "2001 c. 24"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "2004 NI 15"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Art. 8(2) inserted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 142(b) (with regs. 6-9)"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F5",
      "text": "Word in art. 8 heading inserted (13.1.2020) by The Marriage (Same-sex Couples) and Civil Partnership (Opposite-sex Couples) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/1514), regs. 1(2), 142(c) (with regs. 6-9)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisi/1987/463/article/8",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T04:48:01.566565+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}