The sudden and unprecedented arrest of six female supporters of the activist group Youth Demand while they were at a Quaker meeting house in London sparked backlash among other members.
In a statement, Quakers in Britain said that the arrests were the first that happened at a meeting house and were an "aggressive violation." The Metropolitan Police revealed that six individuals were taken into custody on Thursday evening at the Westminster Meeting House on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.
Arrest of Youth Demand Members
Officials added that the arrests came as there were concerns regarding suspected plans to "shut down" London next month by using tactics like roadblocks. On the other hand, Youth Demand said that more than 30 officers were involved in arresting its members.
The group describes itself as a "new youth resistance campaign fighting for an end to genocide," and it reportedly started carrying out acts of civil disobedience last year. The group's demands of the government include a stop to all trade with Israel and fundraising from "the super-rich and fossil fuel elite," according to BBC.
Quakers in Britain's Paul Parker said that he was not able to recall anyone being arrested at a Quaker meeting house in the past. He added that the forceful removal of the individuals who were holding a protest group meeting clearly showed what happens when a society criminalizes protest.
Trampling on Free Speech Rights
Parker noted that freedom of speech, assembly, and fair trials are essential parts of free public debate. Furthermore, police said that they made five other arrests for the same offense, four in London and one in Exeter.
Police said that the arrests were made as they had a responsibility to "intervene to prevent activity that crosses the line from protest into serious disruption and other criminality." The incident comes as there is a crackdown on Gaza War protesters in the United States, the New York Times reported.
Many legal experts have argued that U.S. President Donald Trump's administration's efforts have trampled on free speech rights. Quakers in Britain echoed similar concerns following the arrests of Youth Demand members.
The group said that the publicity related to the arrests resulted in a large number of people deciding to sign up to take part in a series of new protests that are set to begin next week. It added that the incident increased awareness of the group's activities among other people, as per The Guardian.
