Churches ‘dismayed’ by the police raid on a Quaker Meeting House 

Churches Together in England (CTE) General Secretary Bishop Mike Royal has written an open letter to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner requesting a review and a meeting to prevent such an incident happening again 

Police broke into a Quaker Meeting House in Westminster, London on 27 March and arrested six young people holding a meeting over concerns for the climate and Gaza. The young people belong to the activist group Youth Demand, which is not affiliated with the Quakers, and engages in acts of non violent resistance. 

The Met Police said the arrests had been on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance, amid concerns about plans to shut down London in April using tactics such as road blocks. 

A further five arrests for the same offence were made on Friday, 28 March, four in London, one in Exeter. Out of the 11 arrested, 10 have been released on bail and one will face no further action.

Following the arrests, Paul Parker, recording clerk for Quakers in Britain, said, 'No-one has been arrested in a Quaker meeting house in living memory.'

CTE has now sent the following letter to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley, and copies to the Home Secretary Rt Hon Yvette Cooper and Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan.


Churches call for review and meeting following police raid on place of worship

Dear Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley,

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.

Approximately 20 uniformed Police Officers broke into the premises and arrested six young people who had gathered for a publicly advertised meeting about protest against the Gaza crisis and climate justice. All six young people were later released.

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.

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, stated “This aggressive violation of our place of worship and the forceful removal of young people holding a protest group clearly shows what happens when a society criminalises protest”.

Churches Together in England requests that such an incident is subject to an appropriate review by the police and its accountability structures. We would also welcome a meeting with the Metropolitan Police along with representatives from the Quakers to discuss this matter further, to avoid such an incident happening in a place of worship again.

Yours faithfully

Bishop Mike Royal
General Secretary, Churches Together in England


Elsewhere, Christian Aid’s Head of UK Advocacy and Campaigns Jennifer Larbie said the arrests were a worrying sign of protests being criminalised.

'Christian Aid is very concerned over the police raid and arrest of six young people in Westminster Quaker Meeting House last week and stands in solidarity with those committed to peaceful, nonviolent action towards global justice.

'Like many faith communities, Westminster Quakers offered their spiritual home as a safe space for those working for peace – a simple act of hope in a broken world. The raid is a worrying sign of the criminalisation of protest in the UK and sends a chilling message to young people who want to use their voice to demand change for good.' 


Churches Together in England is the national ecumenical instrument supporting and encouraging churches from a wide range of traditions to work together in unity. Its churches are drawn from the Anglican, Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Orthodox and Lutheran traditions, as well as Free Churches, Quakers and others. It states it unites one of the broadest range of churches in the whole of Europe. 

Its General Secretary Bishop Mike Royal was a keynote speaker at the 2023 Baptist Assembly.