On January 26, 2025, there were alleged reports of police storming the Holy Family Basilica, arresting young worshippers, and blocking others from attending a peaceful church service.
This action was allegedly in response to youths attempting to distribute flowers in memory of Kenyans who died during the June protests, an act that had received approval from the bishop.
However, police intervened, confiscating belongings and calling reinforcements, which has led to criticisms of suppression of goodwill and the targeting of sacred spaces.
Despite the bishop approving youth to distribute flowers, OCS and OCPD blocked access to Holy Family Basilica, confiscated belongings, and called reinforcements. A peaceful act met with hostility.
The comes after the Holy Family Basilica in Nairobi was at the centre of several recent incidents involving police action.
During anti-Finance Bill protests in June 2024, police reportedly fired teargas canisters inside the basilica where injured protesters were receiving medical treatment from the Kenya Red Cross, causing aid workers to take cover despite their pleas to stop.
This event was part of a broader crackdown on protesters near the Basilica during the demonstrations against the Finance Bill 2024.
These incidents highlight tensions between law enforcement and citizens, particularly in contexts where public spaces, including religious ones, become focal points for political expression or protest.
The use of such measures in or near religious sites has sparked debate over the sanctity of these places and the rights to peaceful assembly and protest.
Holy family Basilica has always been under surveillance… I have to Stan the Defiant comrades and preachers who go here… pic.twitter.com/v7bPVzIKn0 https://t.co/JXLyxQByya
— Loyalist (@Kwanza254) January 26, 2025
