Since the 3.3.x merge 2a2dad29a4 (10/18/2026), which brought in PHPBB-15556 (translate AM/PM in time formats), the “Phing sniff” step of the “Tests / PHP 8.2 - none” job fails on master:

FILE: phpBB/phpbb/datetime.php

211 | ERROR | Access specifier (e.g. public) should not follow static scope

| | attribute. Encountered “protected” after static

The new method localise_meridiem() is declared static protected. 3.3.x code uses that order, but master’s sniffer requires the access modifier first. The Tests run on master for 2a2dad29a4 fails, the runs before it passed, and every pull request against master now fails this job.

Fix: on master, declare it protected static function localise_meridiem(...). Only the modifier order changes. 3.3.x stays as it is.

Investigated and written by Claude on behalf of William Jacoby (bonelifer).