LCI Director Chris Swift is one of many local Christian leaders who has signed a statement about recent police action at New Testament Church of God Leeds. The statement expresses support and solidarity for Bishop Tony Parry and members of the church community.
LCI is a charity with a long-standing commitment to social justice and facilitates the ‘Churches Against Racism’ group in Leeds which exits ‘for Christian clergy and Christian Leaders to provide ecumenical responses and engagement to challenge racism and racial discrimination in churches, communities and cities.
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21st November 2025
A Joint Statement from Christian Leaders in Leeds
Regarding the Actions of West Yorkshire Police at the New Testament Church of God
As Christian leaders in Leeds, we write to express our full support and solidarity with Bishop Tony Parry and the New Testament Church of God following the incident on 13th November.
We are deeply concerned with the actions of the police who disrupted worship, tributes, and prayers for a recently deceased and much-loved member of the church, where more than 300 people had gathered to pay their respects.
We are saddened to hear of the distress caused, including reports that several people were pushed and that Bishop Tony Parry, a respected spiritual leader in our city, was among those affected. At a moment of vulnerability, grief, and sacred worship, the actions of the officers were wholly inappropriate and have left many in our community shocked and distressed.
We welcome the unreserved apology offered to Bishop Tony by the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire and the referral of this matter to the Professional Standards Board.
We are pleased to confirm that the public apology requested by Bishop Tony has now been agreed. This apology will take place at NTCG Leeds, 3 Easterly Road, Leeds LS8 2TN, on Saturday 22nd November at 2pm. All those who were present on 13th November, along with the wider community who have stood with the church, are warmly invited to attend.
We believe this moment is a beginning, not an end. The public apology is an important first step in a broader process of restoration, rebuilding trust, and supporting the healing of those who were harmed. It also presents our city with a vital opportunity to examine the deeper issues involved including the experiences of Black communities and the ongoing reality of racism in Leeds.
We therefore call for the processes already initiated to be followed through with transparency, courage, and commitment, ensuring that meaningful change emerges from this painful incident. We stand ready to work together with civic leaders, police representatives, and community partners so that our city becomes a place where every community is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness.
We also ask the Mayor of West Yorkshire and her Deputy Mayor for Policing to continue to ensure that these concerns are addressed with urgency and to raise them directly with the Chief Constable of West Yorkshire and the Superintendent of Leeds. We emphasise that this public apology should form part of a broader process of accountability, dialogue, and restorative action.