On May 15th, gatherings took place across the UK to mark International Conscientious Objectors' Day (CO Day), an annual occasion in solidarity with conscientious objectors.

A new petition against military conscription in the UK was announced on the day, with signatures being collected around the country. The petition calls on the UK Government to rule out any future introduction of conscription, as well as to uphold the rights of conscientious objectors (COs).

Across the country, people gathered at memorials and in other public spaces to honour the memory of COs throughout history, as well as to shine a light on the contemporary struggles of COs around the globe.

The number of such events has grown in recent years. Ceremonies, vigils, stalls and other gatherings were held in Brighton, Edinburgh, Leicester, Manchester, Norwich, Oxford, Sheffield, Wokingham and elsewhere.

In London, the National Ceremony for CO Day took place in Tavistock Square. Hosted by John Cooper from the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the event featured speeches, music by Raised Voices choir and readings of testimonies by current COs. This was followed by a reading of COs' names from every country around the world where the organisers were able to find a record of conscientious objection. Flowers were laid on the memorial stone for COs in the square, followed by a minute's silence.

Michael Elstub from Veterans for Peace spoke to the audience about his personal journey from joining the armed forces to becoming a CO and Quaker.

Emma Sangster from ForcesWatch called for public opposition to the growing threat of military conscription in the UK. In her speech she announced the new petition, which denounces military conscription as "a moral affront and an attack on human rights".

A testimony was read out from a current British CO who has recently left the British Army Reserves. In the testimony, the CO explains he made his decision in light of "the UK government and military’s profound complicity in the Gaza genocide, and continued support for the present regimes of both Israel and the USA. The UK is guilty of supporting both the former’s system of apartheid in Palestine, and the illegal terror campaigns of both across the region: from Gaza to Iran to Lebanon."

Having left, he added, he now wants "to advocate for others in the military (both current serving personnel and potential future conscripts) to be prepared to do the same."

With military conscription on the rise across Europe, now is the time to raise our voices against this growing threat. Please sign and share the petition! Say NO to military conscription in the UK!

This petition and the National Ceremony for CO Day are organised by a coalition of peace organisations including the PPU. Find out more at CO-Day.org

Photos by Philip Wood