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Premier Christianity uses cookies Read our cookie policy. OK * Skip to main content * Skip to navigation Site name Site name Mast navigation * Sign In * Register Search our site Search our site Search Menu Close menu * Home * Magazine * Back to parent navigation item * Magazine * 2022 * Back to parent navigation item * 2022 * January * February * March * 2021 * Back to parent navigation item * 2021 * July * August * September * October * November * December * Archive * Back to parent navigation item * Archive * 2021 * 2020 * Back to parent navigation item * 2020 * January * February * March * April * May * June * July * August * September * October * November * December * 2019 * 2018 * 2017 * 2016 * 2015 * Current Issue * Back to parent navigation item * Current Issue * Van life: How Jesus’ counter-cultural lifestyle inspired me to live on the road * ‘A chaplain saved my life…literally’ * The ancient prayer that could refresh your prayer life * Opinion * Back to parent navigation item * Opinion * Latest comment * Reviews * Regular columnists * Back to parent navigation item * Regular columnists * NT Wright * Chine McDonald * Philippa Hanna * Chris Llewellyn * Tim Farron * RT Kendall * Jeff Lucas * Lois Tverberg * David Instone-Brewer * George Pitcher * Chris Goswami * Stories * Back to parent navigation item * Stories * Real Life * Testimonies * Interviews * Features * Back to parent navigation item * Features * Apologetics * Christian living * Covid-19 * Culture * Family & relationships * History * International * Leadership * Mental health * Obituaries * Politics * Prayer * Social issues * Technology * Theology * UK Church * US Church * Worship * Podcasts * Subscribe * Home * Magazine * * 2022 * January * February * March * 2021 * July * August * September * October * November * December * * Archive * 2021 * 2020 * 2019 * 2018 * 2017 * 2016 * 2015 * * Current Issue * Van life: How Jesus’ counter-cultural lifestyle inspired me to live on the road * ‘A chaplain saved my life…literally’ * The ancient prayer that could refresh your prayer life * Cost of living crisis: 3 leading campaigners share how the Church can respond * Opinion * * Latest comment * Reviews * * Regular columnists * NT Wright * Chine McDonald * Philippa Hanna * Chris Llewellyn * Tim Farron * RT Kendall * Jeff Lucas * Lois Tverberg * * * David Instone-Brewer * George Pitcher * Chris Goswami * Grave sucking and gold dust: I spent 10 years at Bethel. Here’s the truth behind the wild rumours * Stories * * Real Life * Testimonies * Interviews * 'A vision from God lifted me from the pit of despair' * From drug-addicted bouncer to Jesus-loving youth worker * ‘Losing my husband to cancer led to us both finding Jesus’ * Features * * Apologetics * Christian living * Covid-19 * Culture * Family & relationships * History * International * Leadership * Mental health * * Obituaries * Politics * Prayer * Social issues * Technology * Theology * UK Church * US Church * Worship * Inside the fastest growing religious movement on earth * Meet the experts helping your church navigate a PR crisis * Podcasts * A Mucky Business with Tim Farron * Ask NT Wright Anything * Unbelievable? * The Profile * Subscribe * More navigation items Opinion WHY THE POLITICIANS APPLAUDING RUSSIAN PROTESTS ARE GUILTY OF HYPOCRISY By Holly-Anna Petersen7 March 20222 min read * * * * * * Save article The world might be praising the 6,500 brave Russians who were arrested for protesting against the invasion of Ukraine, but Holly-Anna Petersen says our own government is still trying to criminalise peaceful protest A police officer approaches a woman during a protest outside the Gostiny Dvor business centre. Source: Reuters Proverbs 31:8 calls us to “speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute.” As Christians, we can often take a light-touch approach to speaking up for others – signing petitions, or maybe a strongly worded social media post, safe from within the comfort of our living room. It seems a long way from the gritty Christ who turned over the tables in the temple when the poor were being exploited there; the Christ whose love took him so far out of his comfort zone that “his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground.” (Luke 22:44). > Our own government is still pushing to pass authoritarian legislation in the > UK When we have turned on our TV screens over the last few weeks, we have been shown the bravery that is often required to truly stand up for others. Demonstrations have taken place in more than 100 Russian cities since Putin sent his army to attack Ukraine. MPs here have been swift to applaud the protestors and condemn the Russian state for the fact that at least 6,500 protesters have been arrested since the war began. Julian Sturdy, the Conservative MP for York Outer said: “We must also commend the brave Russian men and women who took to the streets of Moscow and St Petersburg to protest the war and show solidarity with their Slavic neighbours in Ukraine.” TEN YEARS FOR SINGING However, while condemning the heavy-handling of Russian protesters, Conservative MPs - including Julian Sturdy himself - recently voted to reinstate clauses in the government’s Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill (the PCSC Bill) that would allow courts to imprison “noisy” protesters for up to ten years. While being outspoken about the detrimental impacts of authoritarian regimes, our own government is still pushing to pass authoritarian legislation in the UK which would make the maximum prison sentence for peacefully protesting against them at least double the maximum sentence for a conviction of actual bodily harm. This hypocrisy has been rightly highlighted by organisers of UK protests for Ukraine. One, Zoryana, told Open Democracy that passing the PCSC Bill in its current form would make protesting against the war in Russia a criminal act in the UK. “The government is not only removing the freedoms of British people, but also of Ukrainians in the UK,” she said. “Just how different from Russia is the UK if it passes this law? If we are quiet and don’t really bother anyone, then who will be paying attention to us?” DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO PROTEST Not all MPs were in favour of the restrictions. Labour MP Sarah Roberts said: “Over the past five days, thousands of people have been arrested and detained at anti-war protests across Russia. We would all defend their right to protest and yet here we are, in the mother of all democracies, debating an amendment to a Bill that would criminalise singing at a peaceful protest in this country.” > The maximum sentence for peacefully protesting could be double that for actual > bodily harm As Christians, standing up for justice is in our spiritual DNA. It is right that we are proud of those brave Russians who are standing up to the violence and suffering that Putin is causing in Ukraine. However, as the PCSC Bill gets one step closer to passing, we are sleep-walking into a situation where people will be prevented from protesting against Putin, or any unjust law, in our own country. A PROUD HERITAGE From Martin Luther King to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Christians have a proud heritage of protesting, which has helped to change the world for the better. Yet our church leaders have been largely silent on this issue. Do we assume that they are OK with Christianity becoming a cosy faith, where the gritty Jesus is replaced with petition-clicks and social media shares? The freedom to protest is a vital part of any healthy democracy, which is why Putin suppresses it in Russia. Our government should not be allowed to do the same here. Holly-Anna PetersenHolly-Anna Petersen is a founding member of Christian Climate Action, a non-violent direct action group which often takes action alongside Extinction Rebellion. Facebook TOPICS * civil disobedience * PCSC bill * Police, Crime Sentencing and Courts Bill * Protests * Social Justice * * * * * * Save article MOST POPULAR * Skillet has ‘declared war’ on deconstruction. But I think questions are healthy * Jon Tyson: ‘Praise God I’m alive during one of the greatest declines in the Western Church’ * Behind the headlines: Inspiring stories of faith in Ukrainian cities under siege * Why the politicians applauding Russian protests are guilty of hypocrisy * Why Putin’s war is an attack on Christian values LATEST * Tim Montgomerie: The Christian Conservative on why he no longer supports Boris Johnson * 'I've been a church leader in Ukraine for 30 years. I'm not going anywhere' * ‘When the women arrive, you can see the sadness, the pain in them’ * ‘Stop the war’ Russian Orthodox leader on why hundreds of ‘brave’ priests are joining his campaign * Skillet has ‘declared war’ on deconstruction. But I think questions are healthy SUBSCRIBE TO PREMIER CHRISTIANITY Special offer PAY MONTHLY £1 A MONTH LIMITED OFFER With Premier Christianity you can go deeper in your faith and be inspired by real life stories of what God is doing in the UK and beyond. Our special limited offer means you can enjoy £1 a month for the first three months of your subscription (£4.95 after this period). *Offers and promotions are subject to availability. Annual subscriptions only, in the UK Find out more Close RELATED ARTICLES * Real Life 'I'VE BEEN A CHURCH LEADER IN UKRAINE FOR 30 YEARS. I'M NOT GOING ANYWHERE' 9 March 2022 Wayne Zschech has been a church leader in Ukraine for nearly 30 years. He’s not intending to leave any time soon * Opinion STANDING UP FOR CREATION IS A SACRED SACRIFICE. MY CHRISTIAN FRIENDS CAME CLOSE TO PRISON THIS WEEK 16 December 2021 Those in power want to clamp down on our right to peaceful protest. If it happens, it will seriously undermine our democratic freedoms * Magazine Features DIRECT ACTION: IS IT EVER OK FOR A CHRISTIAN TO BREAK THE LAW? 30 June 2021 Hundreds of Glaswegians surround an immigration enforcement van, defying the authorities, demanding that the people inside be allowed to return to their homes. The crowd chants: “These are our neighbours!” To some, it’s a scene of biblical obedience to Jesus’ message in the parable of the ... Load more articles MORE OPINION * Opinion ‘STOP THE WAR’ RUSSIAN ORTHODOX LEADER ON WHY HUNDREDS OF ‘BRAVE’ PRIESTS ARE JOINING HIS CAMPAIGN 8 March 2022 Dr Andrey Kordochkin introduces the open letter which nearly 300 of his fellow Russian Orthodox Priests have signed * Opinion THE MEDIA WON'T CELEBRATE THESE INSPIRING CHRISTIAN WOMEN. BUT I WILL 8 March 2022 It’s easy to celebrate the celebrities campaigning for social justice, but what about the everyday women fighting for religious freedom? * Opinion THE RELIGIOUS DIMENSION OF PUTIN’S INVASION OF UKRAINE EXPLAINED 7 March 2022 Putin is not a madman. He has his reasons, and some of them are religious, explains Martyn Whittock Load more articles MOST POPULAR * Skillet has ‘declared war’ on deconstruction. But I think questions are healthy * Jon Tyson: ‘Praise God I’m alive during one of the greatest declines in the Western Church’ * Behind the headlines: Inspiring stories of faith in Ukrainian cities under siege * Why the politicians applauding Russian protests are guilty of hypocrisy * Why Putin’s war is an attack on Christian values * ‘Stop the war’ Russian Orthodox leader on why hundreds of ‘brave’ priests are joining his campaign * Watch: Ukrainian Christians pray Psalm 31 from bomb shelters * The religious dimension of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine explained * My church isn’t taking Covid seriously. Should I leave? * Putin’s blasphemous version of Christianity is anti-Christ LATEST * Tim Montgomerie: The Christian Conservative on why he no longer supports Boris Johnson * 'I've been a church leader in Ukraine for 30 years. I'm not going anywhere' * ‘When the women arrive, you can see the sadness, the pain in them’ * ‘Stop the war’ Russian Orthodox leader on why hundreds of ‘brave’ priests are joining his campaign * Skillet has ‘declared war’ on deconstruction. But I think questions are healthy * The media won't celebrate these inspiring Christian women. But I will * The religious dimension of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine explained * Did we get Mary Whitehouse wrong? * Why the politicians applauding Russian protests are guilty of hypocrisy * Why Putin’s war is an attack on Christian values * Advertise with us * Donate * Jobs at Premier * About us * FAQs * Privacy Policy * Contact us * Subscribe to Premier Christianity * Follow us on Twitter * Follow us on Facebook * Issues * Topics A-Z * Writers A-Z * © 2022 Premier Christianity Premier consists of Premier Christian Media Trust registered as a charity (no. 287610) and as a company limited by guarantee (no. 01743091) with two fully-owned trading subsidiaries: Premier Christian Communications Ltd (no. 02816074) and Christian Communication Partnership Ltd (no. 03422292). All three companies are registered in England & Wales with a registered office address of 22 Chapter Street, London, SW1P 4NP. Site powered by Webvision Cloud