Churches Together England (CTE) has today published an open letter to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, in response to a police raid at a Quaker Meeting House on 27 March.
The URC’s ecumenical officer, Lindsey Brown, wrote to Paul Parker, Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain, expressing concern and support.
The right to peaceful protest is enshrined in UK law, despite the introduction of the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Act in 2022, which gave new powers to police to curtail some forms of protest, such as those “intentionally or recklessly causing public nuisance”. CTE is asking for a review to establish if the level of force used by police was appropriate.
Those arrested at the private meeting, six young women of the activist group “Youth Demand”, were later released without charge.
The Quakers have produced a helpful guide on how to contact your MP to raise any concerns you might have. Download the Quaker’s guide.
On 3 April hundreds of Quakers, politicians and others stood in silence outside New Scotland Yard for 40 minutes following the police raid, and 25 other silent meetings were held nationwide and online. Learn more about the silent meetings held by the Quaker’s.
Learn more about the Joint Public Issues Team’s briefing on the Police, Crime, Courts and Sentencing Bill when it was going through Parliament, and this response, written just after the Bill was enacted.
Learn more about Quakers in Britain.
Image: King’s Church International/Unsplash.