CIVICUS speaks with members of Youth Demand about a recent police raid on their meeting. Youth Demand is a non-violent civil resistance group demanding the UK end trade with Israel and make the super-rich and fossil fuel elite pay damages to communities and countries most harmed by fossil fuel burning. The interviewees asked to remain anonymous for security reasons.

On 28 March, police stormed a peaceful gathering at a London Quaker meeting house, arresting dozens of activists planning non-violent action on alleged suspicion of conspiracy to commit public nuisance. Officers entered without warrants, detained participants and searched the building. Religious leaders and civil society organisations have condemned the incident as part of an escalating attack on protest rights in the UK.

What happened on 28 March?

As an organisation, we demand an immediate end to all arms sales enabling violence in Gaza, genuine climate crisis action and the repeal of authoritarian protest laws that criminalise dissent. We believe real protection for human rights and democratic expression requires the dismantling of a broken system that consistently prioritises corporate profits over people’s lives and futures.

That evening, we were holding an introductory session for new members about Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and climate breakdown risks, explaining how they could participate in our peaceful actions.

Just before 7.15pm, over 20 officers – some taser-equipped – forced open the door of the Westminster Quaker Meeting House without warning. They searched the building and arrested six women from our welcome meeting, accusing them of conspiracy to cause public nuisance. The women were split between two police stations, denied communication and questioned overnight. Using keys confiscated from those arrested, police later conducted 12 home raids on our supporters, arresting at least five more people.

Why is this level of repression happening in the UK?

We’ve witnessed an intensifying crackdown on peaceful protest in recent years, with climate and Palestine solidarity activists bearing the brunt. New anti-protest laws such as the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023 have dramatically expanded police powers, criminalised previously legal protest tactics and stripped away protections previously afforded by the European Convention on Human Rights.

Michel Forst, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Environmental Defenders, has stated that the UK is experiencing its most severe protest suppression since the 1930s. The UK now ranks last in western Europe for free expression, and Netpol research shows that aggressive policing under these new laws has become so routine and severe it constitutes state repression. The Quaker house raid exemplifies this politically motivated targeting.

What impact has the raid had on your work?

Since the raid, our membership has surged dramatically. Quaker allies organised a powerful silent vigil outside New Scotland Yard in solidarity with those arrested. We urgently need more people to join our movement now.

The government clearly views Youth Demand as threatening. This means the authorities recognise both our legitimate concerns and our growing effectiveness. Thousands of young people are horrified by the UK’s complicity in Gaza and betrayed by continued fossil fuel expansion that destroys their future. Aggressive police tactics only strengthen our resolve. They prove we’re on the right path and non-violent disruptive actions are what it takes to make our government pay attention.

Photo by Youth Demand