Greta Thunberg Arrested at London Pro-Palestinian Protest

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested in London on Tuesday during a demonstration supporting pro-Palestinian hunger strikers. Thunberg, 22, was seen holding a sign that read, "I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide."

The protest took place outside the offices of Aspen Insurance, a company alleged to provide services to Elbit Systems, an Israeli-linked defense firm. Two other activists were arrested earlier for spraying red paint on the building's facade.

City of London Police confirmed the arrests, stating that a man and a woman were detained on suspicion of criminal damage. A spokesperson added, "A little while later, a 22-year-old woman also attended the scene. She has been arrested for displaying an item (in this case a placard) in support of a proscribed organisation (in this case Palestine Action) contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000."

Palestine Action was designated a terrorist organization by the UK government in July, following incidents causing significant damage to defense firms. Since the ban, numerous individuals have been arrested nationwide for participating in protests supporting the group.

Eight members of Palestine Action are currently on a hunger strike, with the two longest participants nearing 52 days without food, raising concerns about their health. The UK government has stated that decisions on bail and detention are matters for the judiciary.

Thunberg has previously faced legal consequences for civil disobedience in both Sweden and the UK but was acquitted in an unrelated London protest case in February 2024.