Police arrest people chanting ‘globalise the intifada’
The Metropolitan and Greater Manchester police say they will arrest people holding placards and chanting the phrase ‘globalise the intifada’, meaning uprising. It follows calls for a crackdown on hate speech and for the phrase to be made illegal. The police say that after the Manchester synagogue attack and the mass killing of 15 Jews at Bondi Beach, “the context has changed – words have meaning and consequence. We will act decisively and make arrests”. The Chief Rabbi has welcomed the decision as “an important step towards challenging the hateful rhetoric we have seen on our streets, which has inspired acts of violence and terror”. Last night, the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Stop the War and other groups, held a rally in London. Police said they arrested two people for racially aggravated public order offences allegedly “shouting slogans involving calls for intifada”.
Funerals for the Jewish victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack
The funeral has been held in Sydney for British-born rabbi Eli Schlanger, one of the victims of the Bondi Beach terror attack. He was among 15 Jewish people killed when a father and son opened fire on crowds gathered for a Hanukkah celebration. Mr Schlanger was 41 and a father of five who grew up in Temple Fortune, north London. Jewish News reports that the funeral took place at Chabad of Bondi, where he was assistant rabbi. Two other funerals were held yesterday and more will follow today. One of the assassins, Sajid Akram, was shot dead by police. His son Naveed, aged 24, is in hospital and has been charged with 59 offences, including 15 counts of murder and one of committing a terrorist act.
Woman silently praying near abortion clinic first to be charged under new law
Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, a Catholic pro-life campaigner with a record of silently praying near abortion clinics, has become the first person in Britain to be charged with the new criminal offence of breaching a clinic buffer zone. She has repeatedly stood in silent prayer near an abortion clinic in Birmingham and in the past has been arrested and acquitted and has won compensation for a breach of her human rights. ADF UK, the Christian legal centre representing her, says she has continued to pray there on a weekly basis, while police observe. It says this latest charge is a test of Crown Prosecution Service guidance. The new law makes it a criminal offence to intentionally or recklessly influence someone’s decision about abortion, obstruct access to services, or cause harassment, distress, or alarm to anyone using or working at the clinic, within 150m of every abortion facility in England and Wales. The Telegraph reports that she is due to appear before Birmingham magistrates court on 29 January and if found guilty could face an unlimited fine.
Bishop Mariann Budde giving Christmas meditation on BBC Radio 4
The BBC has invited the Episcopalian Bishop of Washington, Mariann Budde, to broadcast a Christmas meditation on BBC Radio 4, on Boxing Day morning, 26 December, at 12.15am. The programme notes say it will be “a reflection on the meaning of Christmas”, reviewing the past year, “her trust in God and her hope for all in times of challenge and division”. The Bishop gave a powerful address at the National Prayer Service in January, traditionally held at the National Cathedral the day after a US Presidential inauguration. With President Turmp in the congregation, she urged him to show mercy towards LGBTQ+ and migrant communities. He was enraged, saying she was “nasty in tone, and not compelling or smart”. On Tuesday, President Trump filed a lawsuit against the BBC for $10 billion in damages for Panorama’s editing of his speech made on 6 January 2021, shortly before the Capitol was stormed.
BBC urged to commit to representing Britain’s diverse faiths and beliefs
The Sandford St Martin Trust has called on the BBC to create formal opportunities for representatives of faith communities to respond to the public consultation about the BBC’s future, which the government initiated this week. The Church Times says that the Trust has issued a statement saying the BBC’s obligations to represent the UK’s diverse belief communities should be re-instated. It urged the BBC to provide “programming and content that reflect the full diversity” of the UK. The Trust’s executive director, Anna McNamee, said: “In a world that is becoming ever more polarised, and where the media landscape is increasingly fractious and factionalised, the BBC’s commitment to the informed representation of faith has never been more critical. Religion is a driving and defining force for much of the world’s population. . . A religiously literate media is essential if we are to engage with these complexities.” Church Times story here
Calls to halt installation of Sarah Mullaly as Archbishop of Canterbury
A vicar in London, the Rev Robert Thompson, has called for a halt to the installation of Dame Sarah Mullaly as Archbishop of Canterbury because “she has blood on her hands” in relation to the suicide of Father Alan Griffin in 2020. Father Griffin took his own life after being under investigation for a year on unsubstantiated allegations, the details of which he had never been told. A subsequent investigation by the coroner found he had done none of the things alleged against him. Dame Sarah, who was Bishop of London at the time, commissioned an independent review and apologised unreservedly. But the Rev Robert Thompson told Channel 4 news last night: “I think the entire diocese has blood on its hands. When Sarah presided at the Eucharist, I felt that the blood of Alan Griffin was on her hands”. He said the person at the top needs to take the responsibility for failures and safeguarding in the diocese, and Dame Sarah was “far more culpable in relation to that particular death than Justin (Welby) was in relation to anything that happened with (John) Smyth”. The Channel 4 news report last night was the second this week into Church of England safeguarding in London. It said they had spoken to a safeguarding officer brought in to implement changes after the church review, who said these were not being implemented. Bishop Joanne Grenfell refuted this saying she had personally chaired the group making the changes. The programme contained a further charge from a former Diocese of London safeguarding officer that she was forced out of her job after making a complaint about a case involving a vicar. Bishop Joanne said her departure was concluded by ACAS and there were no unresolved matters, but she was free to tell more through the whistleblowing process and offered to meet her. Dame Sarah, who is still Bishop of London until a formal confirmation in January, issued a statement saying she was determined to improve safeguarding in the church and had “spoken publicly about the clear need for independent scrutiny of safeguarding across the Church of England… I understand why now, as I prepare to become Archbishop of Canterbury, there will be renewed scrutiny of past cases, and especially my role. and that we must all be willing to have light shone on our actions, regardless of our role in the church.” Channel 4 on 17 December here; on 16 December here. Diocese of London response here
Presbyterian Church in Ireland assembly discussed ‘significant’ safeguarding failures
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland held a special general assembly yesterday to discuss significant failings in the central administration of its safeguarding processes and agree new operational measures. It follows a report published in November from the church’s safeguarding team, which found failings between 2009-2022 where people had been placed at risk and harmed. The Moderator of the church the Rev Trevor Gribben, who was general secretary at the time, stepped down. Failures included not making referrals to statutory authorities when required, not responding adequately to concerns about individuals in congregations, failure to respond to people harmed who sought help and failure to monitor offenders returning to church. This week, the Charity Commission launched a statutory inquiry into the church to ensure remedial steps are put in place. A police investigation is underway.
Church of England’s director or faith and public life has died
The director of faith and public life for the Church of England, the Rev Dr Richard Sudworth OBE, has died. He held the appointment for one year, leading a team which guides the Church of England’s engagement with public policy. Before this, he was the Archbishop of Canterbury’s lead on interfaith relations, and many tributes have been paid to him, including from the Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis, who said he was “an outstanding human being – wise, kind, and a person of great integrity. His thoughtful approach to interfaith relations helped increase understanding between faiths and social cohesion in our nation. Richard will be much missed. May his memory be a blessing.”
