Protesters have daubed a building in central London with red paint and written ‘Free Gaza’ messages on the walls in a demonstration over the Israel-Hamas war.
Group Palestine Action has claimed responsibility for the stunt that attacked the HQ of an Italian defence contractor firm called Leonardo.
The group earlier shared a video of the protest on X ranting “our goverment (sic) is complicit in genocide”.
It added: “106 years ago today, Britain signed away the land of Palestine. It’s now up to the people to end the ongoing complicity in genocide.
“Since then, Britain continues to arm apartheid Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people.”
The Metropolitan Police said one arrest had been made and at the time of writing, the force said another individual was still at the site on top of a canopy above the main entrance.
A statement from the force said: “A man is in police custody after he was arrested by officers on suspicion of criminal damage following a protest in Eagle Place, Piccadilly.
“Messages about the conflict between Israel and Hamas have been painted onto the building in red paint, which has also been thrown at the front of the premises.
“One other person is currently on the canopy above the entrance to the building. Officers are dealing with this man and once he is down safely will seek to arrest him for any offences.”
The protest comes as it was revealed counter-terrorism police are examining more than 200 pieces of “toxic” material posted online amid the renewed conflict in Gaza.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told The News Agents Podcast that around 250 cases were sifted from about 2,000 referrals made to police.
He said: “Some of the really toxic, concerning online material that is potentially breaching terrorism offences, they’re approaching 2,000 referrals which they’ve sifted and it’s around 250 that potentially cross terrorism boundaries and are requiring further investigation.
“So you can see the caseload is building. We have to be extra tuned to the prospect that some of those extremists will be provoked into action.”
