Peace-loving Quakers under state attack

The police raid on Westminster Quaker Meeting House violated the principle of religious sanctuary and evoked the brutal state persecution of Quakerism in the past

On Thursday March 27th Metropolitan Police bust down the door of Westminster Quaker Meeting House to carry out a raid resulting in the arrest of six young women from the non-violent protest group Youth Demand, who had hired a room to hold an introductory talk for their cause.

This state violation of a place of worship by a mob of over 20 police is the latest escalation in the ideological war being waged on peaceful protest in the UK, and it’s telling that of all the religions to attack, they’ve gone after Quakers first.

Can you imagine the outrage had police bust down the door of a church, synagogue, or mosque, intimidated people, ransacked the place, and arrested multiple young women merely for attending a meeting there?

Metropolitan Police would have been well aware of the storm of condemnation they’d have been courting if they’d decided to violate a place of worship of pretty much any other denomination, but they decided they’d get away with it if they went after quiet peace-loving Quakers first.

State violation of a Quaker place of worship is unprecedented in modern times, but it evokes the violent state persecution of Quakers in the past, who were subjected to mass imprisonment; torture; wealth confiscation; political exclusion; and industry blacklisting.

One of the reasons Quaker Meeting Houses look so much like unassuming and ordinary buildings is that it used to be illegal to even attend Quaker meetings, so they had to hide in plain sight.

Quakers were despised and persecuted by the established powers for their non-conformity, especially their stance that all people are equal, in complete defiance of Britain’s rigidly hierarchical class system.

This foundational Quaker principle of equality manifested in women being allowed to give religious ministry, which was considered completely unacceptable by the powerful in 17th Century Britain.

From promoting equality for women from the early years of the religion onwards, Quakers have been at the forefront of socially liberal causes.

The abolition of slavery - which is so often attributed to William Wilberforce - was initially driven by Quakers and fiercely resisted by parliament; the Quaker social activist Elizabeth Fry was such an influential prison reformer that she used to appear on the £5 note; Quakers were heavily involved in the women’s suffrage movements in Britain and the United States; and the Quakers were the first UK religion to publicly demand the decriminalisation of homosexuality.

From the large scale Quaker persecutions of the 17th Century through to the imprisonment of hundreds of Quakers during WWI for refusing conscription due to their pacifist beliefs, Quakers have been subjected to state persecution throughout most of their history.

It’s not like Quakers ever stopped promoting socially liberal causes like women’s rights; humane treatment of the disabled; poverty reduction; and pacifism, but they’ve suddenly been thrust back into the front line over their belief in the right to engage in non-violent protest, which has come under extreme attack by the establishment order.

Paul Parker, recording clerk for Quakers in Britain, said: "No-one has been arrested in a Quaker meeting house in living memory. This aggressive violation of our place of worship and the forceful removal of young people holding a protest group meeting clearly shows what happens when a society criminalises protest. Freedom of speech, assembly, and fair trials are an essential part of free public debate which underpins democracy".

Quakers haven’t suddenly become more radical, it’s the British state that’s becoming more extreme, to the extent that senior Metropolitan Police decided that it’s now fine to violate the religious sanctuary of Quakers simply because they were allowing young people to discuss stuff like non-violent protest and opposition to genocide on their premises.

Starmer’s Home Secretary Yvette Cooper refused to adopt a position on the Quaker Meeting House raid, hiding behind the independence of the police, but it’s beyond impossible to imagine her adopting a similarly cowardly position if a mob of over 20 police had broken down the door of a synagogue to arrest young people attending a pro-Israeli meeting, isn’t it?

Independence of the police isn’t even an excuse anyway, because the government could prevent this kind of heavy-handed police overreach by repealing parts of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the entire Public Order Act 2023, but Keir Starmer’s government are committed to retaining these extreme Tory infringements on the British people’s longstanding rights to engage in peaceful protest.

It’s unrealistic to expect the Westminster establishment class to repeal the draconian powers they’ve given themselves to violate religious sanctuary; crush peaceful protest; and intimidate opposition to the Israeli genocide against Palestinians, however there have been consequences.

The Youth Demand protest group has seen a massive upsurge in interest since the raid. You can check out some of their upcoming events and actions here.

If you’re interested in learning more about Quakerism, Quaker social activism, and silent worship, here’s where to find your local Quaker Meeting.