Last month, 19 faith leaders – including representatives from the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed churches – signed a letter coordinated by Quakers in Britain defending the right to protest. The letter opposes the introduction of a “cumulative disruption” clause in the Crime and Policing Bill, which could impact a huge range of demonstrations. Read the full text of the letter below.
Faith and belief leaders’ letter on Crime and Policing Bill, March-April 2026
Dear Sir/Madam
We write as faith and belief leaders to express our opposition to the new ‘cumulative disruption’ clause in the Crime and Policing Bill.
Across our traditions, despite our differences, we share common principles of love and justice. Members of all our communities are led by their consciences to protest peacefully for a variety of causes. Peaceful protest is allowed by international conventions to be disruptive, and successful campaigns for positive change have always involved cumulative action, from the suffragettes to villagers standing up against proposed fracking sites.
We believe the Bill’s new clause on ‘cumulative disruption’ undermines our right to peaceful protest. It is vague and broad, meaning that it could affect a huge range of protests. It could mean that we are topped from demonstrating because another protest previously took place in the same area, even if it was on a completely different issue.
Peaceful protest motivated by faith, belief and love should be celebrated, not criminalised. We urge the government and MPs to drop the clause on ‘cumulative disruption’ and to enable our right to peaceful protest.
Yours sincerely,
Bishop Mike Royal, General Secretary, Churches Together in England
Rabbi Gabriel Kanter-Webber, Rabbi, Brighton and Hove Progressive Synagogue
Lord Indarjit Singh of Wimbledon, Director, Network of Sikh Organisations UK
Dr Wajid Akhter, Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain
Jo Backus, Chair, Network of Buddhist Organisations
Mrs Krishna Bhan, Chair, Hindu Council UK
Andrew Copson OBE, Chief Executive, Humanists UK
Adwoa Burnley, Clerk of Yearly Meeting, Quakers in Britain
Paul Parker, Recording Clerk, Quakers in Britain
Ms Raghad Altikriti, Chair, Muslim Association of Britain
Sarah Kerr, President , The Pagan Federation
Dr Cynan Llwyd, General Secretary, Cytun: Churches Together in Wales
Jamie Cresswell, Director, Centre for Applied Buddhism
Canon Giles Goddard, Vicar, St John’s Waterloo
Catriona Wheeler, General Assembly Moderator, United Reformed Church
Elizabeth Slade, Chief Officer, General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian
Churches
Revd Richard M Andrew, President of the Methodist Conference, The Methodist Church
Matthew Forsyth, Vice President of Methodist Conference, Methodist Church
Revd Lynn Green, General Secretary, The Baptist Union of Great Britain