UPDATE

”I felt so moved and inspired by the people I met today”. On the 7th April CCA was part of an action being carried out by Quaker Support for Climate Action and those words from one of our group of supporters were echoed by all of us who joined in with over 100 people from Quaker meetings across the country, from the Climate Choir Movement and from Defend Our Juries in a powerful example of how we can take our faith out into the streets.

The singing of the Climate Choir and the open air Meeting for Worship amidst the tourists visiting Monument followed by the re-enactment outside 60 Gracechurch Street marked the courage of those 17th century Quakers who stood together in defiance of the law that stopped them from worshipping as their consciences demanded. It was a reminder that we are part of a long tradition of Christian civil disobedience. Our subsequent presence outside the Ministry of Justice was an opportunity to hold in mind the courage of the jury who on grounds of conscience refused to convict them, leading to the formal articulation of our fundamental safeguard that a jury has a right to reach a verdict according to their conscience. We were drawing attention to how that principle is under threat as we stood in solidarity with Trudi Warner, who is being pursued by the government’s solicitor general for reminding a modern jury of that right. Trudy spoke movingly about facing imprisonment for her action.

The Penn and Mead re-enactment was the forerunner of a week of protest by Defend Our Juries outside every crown court across the country in the run up to Trudi Warner’s hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice on 18th April. A number of CCA people are taking part in those protests, please visit our events page and scroll down to see where they are, connect with them and join them in prayer.

Here is the Climate Choir performing “Sing Truth to Power” at Monument

And if you haven’t already read it, do read the blog below that Phil wrote in advance of the event : –

Quaker Phil Laurie explains what the recreation will involve…

In 1670 two Quakers, William Penn and William Mead deliberately broke a law that prevented dissenters from congregating, the Conventicle Act. They were indicted “for “preaching to the people, and drawing a tumultuous company after them” when the limit was five, and were charged with unlawful assembly.” I find it impossible to believe that they did not know they would be arrested and tried. Their decision to challenge the law turned out to be one of the most important moments in British legal history. It set off a chain of events which ultimately ensured the right to ‘trial by jury’. It also ensured that juries are free from interference and can make decisions, according to their conscience, after hearing all the evidence. This has protected countless defendants down the following hundreds of years. This freedom is now under grave threat.

Why is the freedom under threat? The government and some judges have moved to make most forms of protest illegal with draconian prison sentences; this means many more Crown Court trials. When a defendant gets to court they are being told by the presiding judge that their motives are not relevant to their defence, so they cannot mention climate breakdown or the climate crisis under pain of being imprisoned. Furthermore they cannot use traditional protest defences such as ‘preventing a greater harm’. They are thus left with no defence to present to a jury, which renders the freedom of conscience for the jury void.

These restrictions are currently primarily being used against climate and human rights protestors, but there is no reason why this won’t spread throughout our legal system. This is especially likely to happen when our prosecution service is so underfunded that it is failing us badly. The protection for defendants against the will of the judge being paramount over the voice of the jury, gained by Penn and Mead, is being fatally undermined.

This story is a vital part of Quaker History, and I’d like to suggest that it still beholds all of people of faith, whether Quakers or not to be in the forefront of defending the rights of juries. So I am asking you, and as many as possible, to join in this Quaker celebration of our historic contribution to the right to ‘trial by jury’ and at the same time be part of a protest at the subverting of our jury system by a failing government.

To do this a small group are planning an enactment of the events in Gracechurch St. This will take the form of a Meeting for Worship, followed by a quiet, dignified and legal protest walk ending in a shared meal at Westminster Meeting House. If the mood takes you please feel free to come in period costume!

If you’d like to join this re-enactment, you can look at the Eventbright ticket page or email christianclimateaction@gmail.com