Under protest: Jim Newmark offers an insider’s perspective on Quaker activism

‘It is very easy to become involved, once your decision is made.’

by Jim Newmark 31st July 2026

On 28 June I was asked to attend the Leicester Area Business Meeting. On the agenda there was an item, and a draft Minute, concerning the Quaker Prison and Courts Register. This is a historic and ongoing list maintained by Britain Yearly Meeting (BYM). It documents the names of Quakers who have been arrested, tried, or imprisoned for matters of conscience – specifically when acting out their faith and values. As I was arrested last year for holding a sign in protest against the proscription of Palestine Action, I was asked if it would be possible for me to give the Meeting more information about this situation.