Heavy handed police action at Quaker Meeting House.

I wonder how different things would be if police had raided a Synagogue, a Christian church, a Hindu temple or a Mosque.
A Quaker meeting house is a place of worship.
The official name is The Religious Society of Friends, (commonly known as Quakers)

Their history goes back to 1652 in the North West of England when their founder George Fox held a meeting.

Rather later in the USA when William Penn, from an Irish aristocratic family, who had been a follower of Fox, founded the state known as Pennsylvania, whose capital city is Philadelphia - The city of Brotherly love.
He and those early Quakers went to America where they had Religious freedom. They made peace with the Native Americans instead of killing them.
No Quakers would ever promote violence.

A tag was found that fits and she is/was on home detention curfew. (Jan 31st 25), Guardian report)

The balance between the freedom to protest and protections against harm are hard to keep - but crucial.

For example, I just read that Yvette Cooper is to extend protection for places of worship (mosques and synagogues ) by changing the route or timing of organised protest marches.

Abortion Clinics have already been given protective zones of course.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/27/police-to-block-intimidating-protests-near-places-of-worship-says-home-office

eazybee

The Just stop oil protester who was unable to wear a tag on her arm or ankle identified as a Quaker.
Have not seen any report of this incident anywhere, which is not to say it has not happened. I wait and see.

Strange that this has not been reported in any UK mainstream media. 🤔

An exaggeration?

Available information:

Checked out: Youth Demand had called publicly for a peaceful rally Tuesday 1st April @ 6.30pm, Senate House Library, Malet Street. They did so on the 26th March before the raid.

The only report, apart from in religious publications, has been on CNN which reports that "Quakers say that...." and "..... according to a statement from Quakers UK."

I'm beginning to think this is either an exaggeration or a fabrication for publicity purposes.

It was also in The Morning Star and Catholic News.. I assume it's been deliberately suppressed..

It's as reported in the O/P. Quakers objecting to raid on their premises and why,

the significance or otherwise of what happened depends on ones POV?

I doubt it!

It seems to have been in a Quaker publication and picked up by other religious groups.

The main news media would see this and publish it if it could be found to have validity.

We'll have to wait and see.

My reply was to pascal's post, not yours Wyllow

It’s in The Socialist Worker,

Anniebach

It’s in The Socialist Worker,

Well, it must be true then 😂😂😂

Must be Allira I didn’t know it was still being published

Anniebach

Must be Allira I didn’t know it was still being published

Yes, I had a look, it's still around, stirring up the youth with pessimism about their futures and bad language.

It's in the Jewish News.

I'm sticking to the straightforward O/P report of what happened until we get a police statement.

There was a meeting, there was a police raid, there is a plan by youth Demand of a rally on Tuesday,

we need a police statement and its possible that thats what MSM are waiting for, as its all over SM.

I'm taking it all with a pinch of salt so far as the news originated from the Quaker news organisation and has gained momentum on SM but not been responsibly reported anywhere else.

When I first skim read this on my phone, I assumed it had happened in the States.

I can assure you that an official Quaker source would not lie. They are a responsible source.

all they said as to the events was

"Police broke into a Quaker Meeting House last night (27 March) and arrested six young people holding a meeting over concerns for the climate and Gaza"

"Just before 7.15pm more than 20 uniformed police, some equipped with tasers, forced their way into Westminster Meeting House."

"They broke open the front door without warning or ringing the bell first, searching the whole building and arresting six women attending the meeting in a hired room."

They made some remarks about the relevant police acts, and that this was the first time that its happened in a Quaker Meeting House

but made no comments whatsoever on the nature of Youth Demand and any plans - since they weren't Quakers.

I dont see what problems there are with this report as factual

All the Social Media stuff contains a great deal of allegations and speculation and political commentary around the event, about Youth Demand, exaggerations of how many police, and so on.

Not really factual in the way of “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.

“broke into a Quaker Meeting House and arrested six young people holding a meeting”

broke into a rented room in a Quaker Meeting house where a large gathering was being held and arrested six of the participants

“over concerns for the climate and Gaza”

planning future disruptive action in support of the climate and Gaza

It’s how you tell it…………

Sorry, but I'm no more inclined to believe a Quaker than anyone else.

That's how you tell it, Lathyrus3

Are you saying it didn't happen, Allira? Just because of the various SM reports who have very much their own "take" on it.
What possible reasons could there be for a fabrication by Quakers?

We've just had notification by email quoting the O/P article and a comment

"Part of a response from Lorna Richardson, Premises Cooordiator: at Westminster Quaker Meeting

In time we will have to consider what guidanceMeeting Houses might need for such events, but at the moment we are working together to consider how we respond to this incident as Quakers, as well as caring for our community of worshippers,hirers and visitors,seekinglegal advice, and repairing the physical damage to our building.

We ask you to hold everyone affected in the Light."

I don't think its OK to violently break into premises like a Quaker Meeting House, a Church, a synagogue, a Mosque, and so on, without very good cause of imminent danger, which there clearly was not.

Its now reaching MSM now there has been a statement by the Met.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/mar/29/met-raids-quaker-meeting-house-and-arrests-six-women-at-youth-demand-talk

Wyllow3

That's how you tell it, Lathyrus3

Are you saying it didn't happen, Allira? Just because of the various SM reports who have very much their own "take" on it.
What possible reasons could there be for a fabrication by Quakers?

We've just had notification by email quoting the O/P article and a comment

"Part of a response from Lorna Richardson, Premises Cooordiator: at Westminster Quaker Meeting

In time we will have to consider what guidanceMeeting Houses might need for such events, but at the moment we are working together to consider how we respond to this incident as Quakers, as well as caring for our community of worshippers,hirers and visitors,seekinglegal advice, and repairing the physical damage to our building.

We ask you to hold everyone affected in the Light."

I don't think its OK to violently break into premises like a Quaker Meeting House, a Church, a synagogue, a Mosque, and so on, without very good cause of imminent danger, which there clearly was not.

I agree Wyllow completely ...

I don't think its OK to violently break into premises like a Quaker Meeting House, a Church, a synagogue, a Mosque, and so on, without very good cause of imminent danger, which there clearly was not.

I didn't say it was.

Just that we have only heard one side from a group of people planning disruptive protests.

Youth Demand describes itself as “a youth-led nonviolent civil resistance campaign demanding the UK stops arming Israel and cancels all new oil and gas granted since 2021”.

So are they or are they not Quakers or did they just rent a room there because they considered it would be a safe space for their plotting?

I agree Wyllow 👍