London (EFE).- Climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested Tuesday in London during a protest supporting eight imprisoned members of the group Palestine Action who are on hunger strike, a protest organization said.
The 22-year-old Swedish activist joined dozens of demonstrators on Monday to show solidarity with the detainees. Earlier this year, the British government designated Palestine Action a proscribed organization.
The group Prisoners for Palestine posted a video on Instagram showing Thunberg sitting on the ground holding a sign supporting the prisoners as police recorded her arrest.
The protest took place outside the offices of Aspen Insurance, which activists say provides services to Israeli-linked defense company Elbit Systems.
Thunberg was detained for displaying a sign reading, “I support Palestine Action prisoners” and “I oppose genocide,” according to the group.
The group also said that two other activists sprayed red paint on the building’s exterior before police arrived.
London’s Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene Tuesday morning following reports that “hammers and red paint were used to damage a building.” A man and a woman were arrested on suspicion of “criminal damage,” police said.“A little while later, a 22-year-old woman also attended the scene,” police said in a statement. “She was arrested for displaying an item (a placard) in support of a proscribed organization (Palestine Action) contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000.”
The British government banned Palestine Action earlier this year after concluding that the group’s activities met the legal threshold for terrorism-related offenses.
Officials cited incidents of serious criminal damage, including a June protest in which activists entered the Royal Air Force base at Brize Norton in southern England and sprayed red paint on two military aircraft. EFE
vg/bks/seo
