Nairobi, Kenya – As the Saba Saba Day protests spiraled into chaos across Nairobi, All Saints Cathedral once again emerged as a sanctuary—offering refuge to hundreds of peaceful demonstrators fleeing a violent police crackdown.

The historic Anglican cathedral, nestled beside Uhuru Park, has long served as a shelter during periods of state-sponsored violence. On this day of civic unrest, it reaffirmed its legacy as a beacon of non-violent resistance and a haven for those standing up against government repression.

According to Provost Evans Omollo, the cathedral’s commitment to protecting the oppressed stretches back decades. “We are continuing a sacred duty,” he said, recalling the 1990s when the church famously harbored the Mothers of Political Prisoners, women who camped at the cathedral grounds demanding the release of their sons detained without trial.

Today, more than 500 young protesters are taking shelter within the cathedral’s navy-stone walls, many of them having fled clouds of tear gas and baton-wielding officers around Uhuru Park. Inside, the sanctuary bears witness to Kenya’s fraught past and present—tear gas canisters and shattered batons from previous confrontations are displayed in quiet defiance, reminders of the church’s unwavering stance.