In January Danny Webster, director of advocacy, and I were invited to attend a public order and hate crime legislation roundtable at the Home Office. Lord Mcdonald KC is chairing this review on behalf of the home secretary and was keen to hear perspectives from Christian advocacy organisations.
Today (Thursday 19 February 2026) was the inaugural session of our online politics briefing series where throughout the year we will showcase to members how the advocacy team are representing your concerns to the most senior politicians and policymakers in government. Presentations looked at the role of churches and Christians in providing a political and spiritual response to the rise in community tensions across the UK. We are grateful to member organisation Christian Police Association for being on the panel.
In recent years there has been an escalation in public disorder, from riots in towns and cities in 2024 to speeches that that encourage violence and hatred towards religious or ethnic minorities online, on university campuses or at protest marches. According to the most recent data on hate crime statistics, there were 137,550 incidents recorded in England and Wales in the year ending March 2025, a 6% increase in race hate crimes and 3% increase in religious hate crime (gov.uk, October 2025)
The government are rightly concerned that this disorder could spill over into prolonged civil unrest and so are reviewing what (if any) changes there should be to public order and hate crime legislation.
Understanding the inception of the independent review of public order and hate crime legislation
The terrorist attack on a Manchester synagogue in October 2025 saw two people killed and several injured. In response the home secretary Shabana Mahmood appointed Lord Macdonald of River Glaven KC to chair the review and explore what can be done to protect important freedoms like speech and protest while balancing those against public safety and protecting individuals and communities from violent acts and hatred.
As part of the home secretary’s press statement she said, “Lawful protest and free speech are fundamental rights, but we cannot allow them to be abused to spread hate or cause disorder. The law must be fit for purpose and consistently applied.”
As disciples of Jesus, hate is the antithesis of the gospel and the God we worship. Where there are strong disagreements with others we are commanded in scripture to seek peace and where possible reconcile (Matthew 18:15 – 20). Where there are individuals who oppose our witness and attack our personhood or beliefs we are commanded to love and pray for our enemies (Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27 – 36) and to take heart that Jesus suffered the same but loved to the end (John:17).
As Christians we are commanded not to seek vengeance but to stand up for justice, mercy and truth. The latter is often misunderstood in a progressive secular culture, where truth is relative. To insist an individual or society to repent is perceived as abusive. In our written submission to the review and in the meeting in January we spoke of how evangelicals experience hostility from the political left and right in Britain. From different sectors of the political right, evangelicals from a minority ethnic background experience violence and/or racism that is often under-reported due to disbelief the justice system is there to protect them. Evangelicals also experience hostility and misinformation regarding their theological beliefs on sexuality, sex, marriage or abortion from the progressive left. We also explained that there is much confusion about the policing of public order and hate crime laws and cautioned the government from introducing further anti-hate-crime legislation as it inevitably restricts legitimate religious freedoms to express and practise faith.
As the body of Christ in the UK, it is important that we are aware of the legal freedoms we have to share the gospel but also how intimidation, harassment and violence affects those within our churches and communities. We are called to be the salt of the earth and light to the world so individual and collective witness during a time of political unrest can have the potential to point people to Jesus and model the kingdom to come.
Below are three ways you can make a difference:
1.Proclaiming Jesus on the streets or online is not a hate crime
Speak up. You have more freedoms than you realise to teach, preach and disciple new converts into the Christian faith and to share faith publicly. Speak up and Living for Jesus at Work are two resources we have produced in recent years to educate Christians on legal freedoms they have and equip them to exercise them with wisdom and gentleness (Matthew 10:16).
The public square has become a contested space in recent years, but it must not become a Jesus free zone.
In our parliamentary and public policy engagement we continue to urge governments to roll back controversial policies like Community Protection Notice Orders used by the police to limit street evangelism and to revise “buffer zones” guidance near abortion clinics where silent prayer has been criminalised and individuals prosecuted.
We will continue to play our part, educating policymakers that for evangelicals free speech is not merely a political act but has theological implications when restricted.
2. Pray the police will do more to support evangelicals of minority ethnic backgrounds
The politics of immigration and the grooming gang scandal has seen a rise in hostility or violent attacks towards ethnic minorities, especially those who are or those perceived as Muslims (a total of 3,199 offences by year end in March 2025 and a spike around the Southport killings).
For our South Asian brothers and sisters, the past two years has been a difficult time to navigate. People have often experienced racism and threats of assault and believe reporting to the police is pointless or worse, and living in silence has left church leaders and fellow congregants unaware of personal pain and suffering.
The politics briefing was held to support attendees in identifying and reporting an incident of hate crime on behalf of another person but also to raise awareness of the pain that exists within churches. It is important church leadership with a multi-ethnic or intercultural congregation consider how they establish spaces of pastoral support and restorative healing for those of South Asian heritage or from any minority ethnic background going forward and their role in advocating for justice where harassment or racism has occurred.
3. Protect the welfare of other religious minorities
Wars taking place overseas are spilling over onto our streets. Fear of the other has led to violent attacks and uprising across the UK, particularly amongst Jewish and Muslim communities.
Theologically Christians disagree with both faith communities on respective teachings on the divinity of Jesus. Nevertheless, our theological differences should not lead evangelicals to stand by whilst those from other minority religions are assaulted or harassed. Jesus calls on His bride to look beyond her own walls and to uphold the imago dei in every man, woman and child, whatever their religious background.
I have been particularly moved by the senior leadership from different member churches in response to civil unrest. Lakeside Church Southport, Liberty Church Rotherham and others across the country have publicly spoken out against violence to places of worship or been involved in the restoration of property and community healing from violence.
Jesus is our Good Samaritan. When He walked this earth, He would regularly cross political, social and ethnic divides to tend to the physical and spiritual poverty of the people. There is a time for robust debate and apologetics, but there is also a time to care for those outside the kingdom. May the UK church discern which response is necessary in any given moment and act accordingly.
How will the government proceed?
Lord Mcdonald and the team are in the process of writing recommendations and will present those to the home secretary to consider.
The advocacy team are primed for any legislative changes that are included in the May 2026 King’s Speech and will continue to engage elected representatives across the four parliaments on their role to defend and strengthen religious freedom in the UK.
Martyn’s Law and the responsibility of churches and Christian events and conferences
Our next politics briefing will be on Tuesday 28 April, when we will take members through the implementation phrase of the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (also known as Martyn’s Law). We encourage church leaders, conference and festival operational teams and social action project teams to attend. This act places a responsibility on events and premises to protect the public from terrorist incident.
Event registration will open in the coming weeks. Make sure you are signed up in time to received March’s Everything Advocacy email or visit our events page.
