LONDON (AP) — Greta Thunberg was arrested in central London on a Tuesday while demonstrating in support of pro-Palestinian activists who are currently on hunger strike. These activists are protesting their imprisonment as they await trial on multiple charges related to earlier demonstrations. The protest group Prisoners for Palestine released a video showcasing the 22-year-old Swedish climate activist holding a sign in solidarity with the hunger strikers and the organization known as Palestine Action, which has been classified as a terrorist organization by the British government earlier this year.
The protests unfolded alongside a larger demonstration during which two activists sprayed red paint on the facade of an insurance company situated in the City of London, the heart of Britain's financial services ecosystem. According to Prisoners for Palestine, the target of the paint attack, the insurer, is linked to Elbit Systems, a defense firm with connections to Israel. City of London police reported that a man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, while a third woman was apprehended for allegedly supporting a banned organization. Typically, British police refrain from disclosing the identities of suspects before formal charges are filed.
Eight members of Palestine Action have initiated a hunger strike in protest of their detention without bail, as they wait for trial on a range of charges stemming from prior protests across the country. The initial two prisoners involved in the hunger strike have reportedly been protesting for 52 days, and the organization stated that they are at a critical stage with a real possibility of death looming due to the extended duration of their strike.
The British government has yet to intervene in the judicial proceedings regarding the activists, maintaining that decisions pertaining to bail and detention should be the responsibility of the courts. This response has triggered criticism from various human rights organizations urging for a review of the situation.
In a related context, Thunberg faced legal issues earlier in February 2024, when she was acquitted by a court in London for allegedly disregarding a police order to vacate a protest site that obstructed the entrance to a significant oil and gas industry conference. She has been fined multiple times in both Sweden and the United Kingdom for acts of civil disobedience during protests related to climate change and environmental issues.
This incident involving Thunberg and her support for the Palestine Action hunger strikers highlights a continued intersection of activism across various social justice causes, emphasizing the urgent dialogues around human rights, geopolitical conflicts, and environmental accountability. The arrest of such a high-profile figure as Thunberg underscores the significance of these protests and may attract increased attention to the plight of the hunger strikers as well as the implications of the British government's stance on these matters.
