Friends join ‘biggest in a generation’ Trident action

3 Mar 2016 | by Tara Craig

Friends join protest against government plans to renew Trident

Huddersfield Friends at the protest in London. | Photo: Anne van Staveren for Britain Yearly Meeting.

Several groups of Quakers were among an estimated twenty thousand people in central London who protested against government plans to renew the Trident missile system.

Friends took part in demonstrations across Britain. Paul Parker, recording clerk of Britain Yearly Meeting, attended the London rally. He addressed participants in Trafalgar Square. Speaking with Rachel Lampard, vice president of Methodist Conference, Paul read a statement from interfaith representatives.

He said: ‘Our world faces many challenges including oppressive poverty, climate change, violent extremism and emerging national rivalry. Addressing these challenges requires strong relationships across nations, founded on mutual co-operation, trust and shared prosperity. Security policies based on the threat of the use of nuclear weapons are immoral and ultimately self-defeating.’

Friends protesting in London came from as far afield as West Yorkshire, Cornwall and Lancashire.

Part of the gathering of at least 100 Friends at the Meeting for Worship held before the start of the march. | Photo: Tim Wallis.
Left: A Friend with her banner (Photo: Tim Wallis). Right: Paul Parker, recording clerk, addressing the rally in Trafalgar Square, reading the interfaith statement – seen on the large video screen (Photo: Anne van Staveren for Britain Yearly Meeting).

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