Senior church leaders from across the UK have spoken out against the use of Christian symbols at a recent far-right rally in the capital.
The statement, signed by Church of England bishops, Evangelical Alliance CEO Gavin Calver, CARE chief executive Ross Hendry, Salvation Army leaders Commissioners Jenine and Paul Main, and Lynn Green, General Secretary of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, expressed alarm at the way Christian imagery was displayed at the “Unite the Kingdom” rally earlier this month.
The event, organised by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, drew more than 100,000 people and featured anti-immigration rhetoric. Marchers carried crosses, banners with Christian slogans, and some even dressed in Crusader-style outfits.
In their joint declaration, the church leaders said they were “deeply concerned about the co-opting of Christian symbols, particularly the cross,” at a rally where racist and anti-Muslim elements were present, making some people feel unsafe.
While recognising the frustration of many who feel “unheard and forgotten in the democratic process,” the statement insisted that solutions must come through addressing poverty, inequality, and exclusion, not through divisive movements.
“As Christians from different theological and political backgrounds we stand together against the misuse of Christianity,” the leaders wrote. “The cross is the ultimate sign of sacrifice. Jesus calls us to love our neighbours and our enemies and to welcome the stranger. Any co-opting or corrupting of the Christian faith to exclude others is unacceptable.”
Source: Christian Today UK.
