Quakers urge review of protest convictions amid growing threat to civil liberties
Quakers in Britain has written to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper urging her to review the convictions of peaceful protesters arrested under unlawful regulations.
The request follows a landmark ruling by the Court of Appeal on 2 May 2025, which found that the Government had acted unlawfully when it attempted to expand police powers by redefining “serious disruption" as merely “more than minor" disruption.
The court concluded that ministers had overstepped their authority by making the change through secondary legislation which requires less parliamentary scrutiny than primary legislation.
The ruling invalidated regulations that had been used to justify arrests at peaceful protests across the country, including those involving Quakers.
In the letter, Oliver Robertson, head of witness and worship for Quakers in Britain, warns that increasingly harsh protest laws are “dampening" the faith's ability to act in line with their conscience.
He highlights the experience of Quakers arrested outside the DSEI arms fair in September 2023 under the unlawful regulations.
“We ask that you urgently act to review sentences that were handed down under these invalidated regulations, not just for Quakers but for anyone who has been unfairly sentenced under this law for peaceful protest," the letter states.
Quakers in Britain are calling for the Government to go further by reviewing the entire body of protest-related legislation.
The letter raises concerns about the cumulative effect of recent laws including the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 and the Public Order Act 2023.
“We need to rebalance the legislative framework to ensure that every citizen can be heard, not just those with influence or media access."
The letter has also been copied to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Quakers have a long tradition of public witness for peace, justice and truth, as part of living out their faith.
The call to review protest convictions is part of their ongoing concern about the erosion of democratic freedoms and civil liberties in Britain.