Posted: September 8, 2025   •   Posted in: Action

Quaker activism – A first-hand account

A form of Quaker activism

Quakers have a long history of activism. In a recent article Rhiannon Grant asks, ‘Why are Quakers always at protests?‘ She suggests some possible reasons. Quaker faith, for example, ‘encourages being politically active‘ and ‘supports speaking out peacefully’.

Currently, protests against the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation are in the news, and Quakers can be found alongside many others.

Quakers in Britain say that ‘the ban has undermined their freedom of religion‘. In the same article they point out that:

Quakers take a clear stand against war and violence of any kind. This is rooted in their belief that every life is precious and that nonviolence is essential for resolving conflicts. 

Seventeen Quakers were arrested by police on Saturday 9 August during a London protest about the decision to proscribe Palestine Action.

On Saturday 6 September Caroline P, a Beccles Quaker, was also arrested as she took part in a similar protest. In the image you can see her placard – ‘I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action’. Caroline was also holding ‘The Age of Olive Trees’ by Haia Mohammed, a book of poems she has recommended to many of us.

This is Caroline’s personal account of her own protest and arrest that followed.

Impressions of the Defend our Juries demonstration held in Parliament Square on 6th September 2025

I was there for the one o’clock start, wrote my placard and was arrested at seven by two officers from Lancashire.  My neighbour had been picked up at six by police from Humberside…people and police had come from far and wide for the demonstration protesting against the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation.

It was to be a seated, silent, demonstration and would have been quieter had not the Palestine Solidarity Campaign held a rally close by.  However,  it was by and large a quiet event and at  this point I would like to add that I did not see any violence at all although I know there have  been reports of disturbances.

Is there an etiquette I wonder for such events? There were people just walking about among us and one man stood right in front of me, chatting occasionally,  with his rather large backside right in my face.  Eventually I had to tell him that I felt he was invading my space and he had the grace to move away.

I was surprised at what seemed a profligate use of police time. I was carried to a Black Maria by four officers; there were just two of us demonstrators in it, both of us with two officers  and the driver who took us to Millbank. Here  we disembarked, and waited in a long queue for two and a half hours, some demonstrators still insisting on being carried, until we reached a tent labelled  Prisoner Reception Point.  The sole point of it as far as I could see was to give my arresting office a number!  After that the queue was short and moved us quickly to the Prisoner Reception Tents and there were twenty of them.

In mine Mitchell, Julia and Chris, in plain clothes, explained my rights; I had been quite prepared to refuse to give my name but I’d forgotten that I still had my wallet with me.  The police have the right to search you and of course they found my driving licence!  Silly me.

So I was given street bail and will have to attend at Plumstead Police station at the end of November, by which time of course the legislation may have been rescinded.

I walked back to Westminster tube station, past Parliament Square where at 10.30 the police were still busy arresting and the paddy wagons lined up.  They took nearly 900 people that day and I am proud to be one of them.

Caroline P (Beccles Quaker Meeting)

Carrie (Beccles Quaker Meeting)