Police have arrested six women last night after raiding a meeting about Gaza and climate change.
The women were members of the protest group Youth Demand who vowed to “shut down London” next month in a campaign that has accused the UK government of allowing a “genocide” in Gaza.
It is understood they were detained on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.
On Thursday at around 7:15pm over 20 uniformed police officers forced their way into Westminster Meeting House.
The Quakers in Britain have strongly condemned what they call a 'violation of their place of worship'
WESTMINSTER QUAKER MEETING HOUSE
Officers - with some said to be equipped with tasers - broke open the front door without warning, carried out a search of the building and arrested six women attending the meeting.
The Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 have criminalised many forms of demonstration, allowing police to stop actions deemed too disruptive.
The Quakers in Britain have strongly condemned what they call a “violation of their place of worship”.
They claim this is a direct result of harsh protest laws which remove all freedom to "challenge the status quo”.
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Over the centuries, many Quakers have engaged in nonviolent direct action, from fighting for the abolition of slavery to supporting women's suffrage and prison reform.
The recording clerk for Quakers in Britain, Paul Parker, 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."
He added that freedom of speech and assembly and fair trials are a key part of “free public debate which underpins democracy”.
The women were members of the protest group Youth Demand who vowed to 'shut down London' next month
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A Met Police spokesperson told GB News: "Youth Demand have stated an intention to 'shut down' London over the month of April using tactics including 'swarming' and road blocks.
"While we absolutely recognise the importance of the right to protest, we have a responsibility to intervene to prevent activity that crosses the line from protest into serious disruption and other criminality.
"On Thursday, 27 March officers raided a Youth Demand planning meeting at an address in Westminster where those in attendance were plotting their April action.
"Six people were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. Five of those arrested on Thursday have been released on bail and one will face no further action.
"A further five arrests for the same offence were made on Friday, 28 March. Four of the arrests were at addresses in London and one in Exeter. All five of those arrested on Friday have been released on bail.”
