When six young women came together in central London to discuss the climate crisis and the conflict in Gaza, the location felt particularly significant. They gathered in a Quaker meetinghouse, a space steeped in a long tradition of social justice and protest. The atmosphere was relaxed, with jasmine tea, ginger biscuits, and vegan cheese straws available on the table.
However, this light-hearted gathering took a sudden turn, leading to a different kind of protest regarding how justice is enforced in the UK, particularly by its police force. This incident raised serious questions about police actions.
During the meeting, a reference to a historic 1963 march in Birmingham, Alabama, was cut short by a flash of blue lights. Moments later, approximately 30 officers from the Metropolitan Police, some carrying stun guns, burst into the Grade II-listed building, arresting one of the women present.
Zahra Ali, one of the 18-year-olds involved, reported being detained for 17 hours. Another individual described their experience as being confined with their hands cuffed and pressed against the wall for what they called an hour-long ordeal. Their phones were confiscated, and their laptops were taken as evidence.
The police operation was labeled “intelligence-led,” and it specifically targeted youth members of protest groups. The attendees were arrested on suspicions of conspiracy to disrupt public order, with five currently under investigation.
Six weeks later, this operation faced backlash from various religious groups, politicians, and activists who expressed concern about the disproportionate policing, particularly against vulnerable young individuals in places of worship.
“I was the last one to be arrested,” Zahra recalled. “I arrived at the station at 10 PM and waited two hours for my booking. I ended up in a freezing cell.” She noted that she was not allowed to make any personal calls.
“Out of nowhere, we saw blue lights before they stormed in. We were just a bunch of young people chatting about our government and protests, and then we were taken into custody,” she reflected.
Accusations of conspiracy seemed particularly ludicrous to her, especially since many of these meetings were open and often advertised. “We post on Instagram—there are posters and leaflets. It’s pretty clear what we’re doing.” She questioned how police could justify such a large-scale response based on the intelligence they claimed to have.
Activists involved in the Just Stop Oil movement had announced plans to significantly disrupt London starting in April. Last month, they staged protests during the London Marathon, resulting in some activists being arrested after throwing red paint at Tower Bridge.
Meanwhile, groups advocating for a trade embargo against Israel made headlines, with some supporters engaging in dramatic protests that drew public attention.
For Lia-Anjali Lazarus, a 20-year-old student, the incident was deeply unsettling. “The arrest felt like an invasion of my rights. It made me paranoid. It’s hard to shake the feeling of being treated like a criminal,” she shared.
Lazarus recounted how police seized her belongings, including her notes and books, leading to a frustrating confrontation over a French grammar book. “I told the officer it was mine, and he replied, ‘How do I know that? I don’t speak French.'”
She felt that this kind of policing felt like being monitored, especially in light of previous arrests during similar protests last year.
Paul Parker, the UK’s Quaker clerk, noted that no one he could remember had been arrested at the meetinghouse before. He emphasized the rarity of such events in a place aligned with peaceful gatherings.
Mulwoolford, a Quaker elder who witnessed the police action, described it as excessive, underlining how the meeting bore no resemblance to anything unlawful. “I couldn’t believe they treated this like a serious incident. Why such a heavy-handed approach?”
The police cited their actions were based on intelligence regarding potential criminal activities, which some felt was unfounded and misinformed.
MP Cara Dennyer characterized the overall response as indicative of a troubling trend in how the right to protest is being curtailed. She pointed to previous government actions that restricted protests, noting a lack of commitment from the current government to reverse those laws.
Jenny Jones, a Green Party peer, expressed her disbelief at the police’s excessive measures and planned to formally question the Metropolitan Police about the rationale for their use of force against community members.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed that five women had been released on bail, while one would face no further action. The spokesperson acknowledged the fundamental importance of the right to protest but claimed they had to intervene to prevent serious disruptions.
Dennyer, who had recently joined the Quaker movement, remarked that the incident set a worrying precedent regarding policing in religious spaces. “When the government goes after Quakers, it signals an alarming moment in history,” she said.
