Quakers still worship despite ‘extraordinary’ XR ‘ban’

riends continued to gather for Meeting for Worship in Trafalgar Square despite the ‘ban’ on protests linked to Extinction Rebellion’s ‘Autumn Uprising’

Friends gathered for Meeting for Worship in Trafalgar Square. | Photo: Courtesy of Steve Hale.

Friends still gathered in Trafalgar Square for Meeting for Worship (MfW) despite what the Quaker organisation Turning the Tide (TTT) described as the ‘extraordinary’ decision to ‘ban’ Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests anywhere in London.

Quaker Josephine Snell helped to keep the MfWs going throughout the fortnight of XR action, despite a condition issued by the Metropolitan Police late on 14 October under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 that said: ‘Any assembly linked to Extinction Rebellion “Autumn Uprising”… must now cease their protest(s) within London… by 21:00 hours.’

Citing William Penn’s quote ‘Force may subdue, but Love gains’, Josephine Snell tweeted: ‘It’s been a very precious experience to be part of such a great group of fellow spiritual travellers, and it’s a testament to the way we’ve all worked together, that even when our base was taken away twice, we managed to keep on holding our Meeting till the end.’

She added that one Quaker travelled from Leeds just to attend.

Steve Hale, from Clun Valley Meeting, attended the final MfW on 19 October, along with four others, and told the Friend: ‘It was a satisfied silence – satisfied that Quakers had continued to meet under difficult circumstances and under threat of arrest. It had been hard work, travelling up every day.’

On the ‘XR Quakers’ Facebook page, Josephine Snell described how she had to negotiate with the police on 18 October to allow the MfW to take place. ‘He was pleasant… but… concerned that [it] would become a locked-on protest, and/or would grow in size. I explained that the purpose… was simply to provide a peaceful space in the midst of the complexities.’

In a blog following the order, TTT said it held the protesters in the Light: ‘We are deeply troubled to see Quakers seeking advice about whether they can meet for worship in public places without fear of arrest.’

The organisation highlighted comments from The Network for Police Monitoring (Netpol) claiming that the order, which was lifted later on 18 October,  could be unlawful and urging protesters to have access to a good solicitor.

Hundreds of XR activists, including many Quakers, carried on protesting throughout the week. One Friend was part of a group of nine XR Peace activists who glued themselves to each other outside the Supreme Court on 17 October calling on it to recognise the crime of ecocide, the illegality of nuclear weapons, and to protect people’s rights to freedom of assembly.

Seventy-six-year-old Sylvia Boyes, from Keighley Meeting, who was among the eight arrested, said: ‘We are calling on the Supreme Court to end all arms sales, especially those to regimes such as Saudi Arabia where the weapons are being used in clear violation of international humanitarian law in the war on Yemen.’

Netpol said that the order to stop XR protests in London was ‘potentially unlawful’, would probably be open to legal challenges, and effectively amounted to a ban on XR without going through due process. However, the Met Police insisted it was not a ban.

XR has been granted an application for a judicial review.

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