Churches Together in England stand with Quakers
Churches Together in England have written to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley calling for a meeting to discuss the police raid on Westminster Quaker Meeting House on 27 March.
The letter written by General Secretary Bishop Mike Royal was also sent to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Mayor of London Sadiq Khan. It also calls for a review of the incident to avoid such an event happening in a place of worship again.
Churches Together in England is the national body supporting and encouraging churches from a wide range of traditions to work together in unity. It includes churches from the Anglican, Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Orthodox and Lutheran traditions, as well as Free Churches, Quakers and others, uniting one of the broadest range of churches in Europe.
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Churches Together in England Member Churches support the principle of the right to peaceful protest and are deeply concerned at this unnecessary forced entry to a place used for worship.
- Bishop Mike Royal
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On the evening of 27 March, 20 police officers broke into Westminster Meeting House and arrested six young people who had gathered for a publicly advertised meeting about protest against the Gaza crisis and for climate justice.
A Quaker elder was present in the building at the time and could have opened the door, which would have avoided damage to the building. For people of faith, it was especially upsetting to see a place of worship violated by heavy-handed and disproportionate policing.
Many people of faith share with Quakers a commitment to treating all people with kindness and holding human life as sacred. This has led to a rich history of nonviolent interfaith action for peace and to many connections between our faith communities. Many people from other churches and faiths joined the Quaker meeting for worship at New Scotland Yard.
Since the introduction of the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023, the right to protest has been severely restricted. Quakers believe that every citizen deserves to be heard, not just those with influence or media access.
Bishop Mike Royal said:
“Member Churches of Churches Together in England were dismayed to learn of the police raid of the Westminster Quaker Meeting House on 27 March 2025.
“Churches Together in England Member Churches support the principle of the right to peaceful protest and are deeply concerned at this unnecessary forced entry to a place used for worship."
Paul Parker, recording clerk for Quakers in Britain, said:
“We are deeply thankful to everyone that has stood with us since the aggressive and unnecessary violation of our place of worship.
“We are proud to work with other churches, faith communities and civil society to defend our rights to participate fully in public life."