Fear or provocation of violence is a statutory offence in England and Wales created under the Public Order Act 1986.
(2) An offence under this section may be committed in a public or a private place, except that no offence is committed where the words or behaviour are used, or the writing, sign or other visible representation is distributed or displayed, by a person inside a dwelling and the other person is also inside that dwelling.
[2] Section 4(3) of the 1986 Act formerly provided that a constable could arrest without warrant anyone he reasonably suspected was committing this offence.
The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 (c.37) creates a label of "racially-aggravated" in its Section 28, Meaning of “racially aggravated”.
It describes here what is indicated by the term "racially aggravated", and describes “racial group”: "means a group of persons defined by reference to race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins.