- A group of Jewish people gathered in solidarity with the people of Palestine
- Palestine Action sprayed slogans and accused the firm of being ‘baby killers’
Pro-Palestine activists caused chaos in central London on Thursday morning after police officers appeared to tussle with praying activists at St Pancras during rush hour and the Foreign Office and a UK weapons firm were smeared with red paint.
A group of Jewish people gathered at the station to pray for the people of Gaza before videos appear to show British Transport Police officers attempting to break them up and take their speeches.
A small scuffle broke out with clips suggesting around half a dozen officers were involved, before the situation was de-escalated by them walking away from the group.
Signs held by those in the group included ‘Stop bombing Gaza. Not in our name’ and ‘Jews say ceasefire now’, as dozens of people chanted: ‘Let us pray, let us pray.’
It came after pro-Palestinian activists smeared red paint over the Foreign Office and a British aerospace firm this morning as it claimed the company has supplied Israel with fighter jets.
Police made two arrests, including one for racially aggravated criminal damage around four hours after the protest began, as a specialist police team brought a man down from the roof of the weapons firm’s HQ.
As British Transport Police officers began speaking with those gathered at the station, the group began chanting ‘We can’t hear you’ and ‘let us pray’.
One attendee shared a video to X and said: ‘Police are attempting to arrest Jews in prayer. We shout ‘let us pray’ for Palestine. The police have confiscated copies of our speeches.’
Others said the atmosphere was ‘pretty emotionally charged’. Flags, banners and posters were all seen being held by those present.
A spokesperson for the British Transport Police said: ‘Just after 8am today (2 November), our officers attended a sit-in protest at St Pancras railway station.
‘The group were reported to be peaceful and there were no reports of disorder. There was no impact on the station services and by 8.45am the group had moved on.
‘Anyone wishing to make a report related to this incident can text 61016 or call 0800 40 50 40 with reference 116 of 2 November 2023.’
Separately, video footage shared by Palestine Action, which describes itself as ‘the direct action network dismantling British complicity with Israeli apartheid’ showed a protester spraying messages calling for an end to conflict in the Middle East at firm Leonardo’s HQ.
Police officers initially arrested one person on suspicion of criminal damage and remained at the scene, ‘seeking to arrest’ another who could be heard chanting ‘Stop the arms trade, end the struggle, free, free Palestine’ from the building’s canopy.
As of 11.45am, Palestine Action said its protester was still on the building’s roof and video footage showed him leading a chant and shouting: ‘Palestine will never die’.
The Met Police told MailOnline that a ‘specialist team who work at height are on the scene’ and are ‘ looking to bring him down and arrest him as quickly and safely as possible’.
Shortly afterwards the spokesperson said the individual had been safely removed and was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage.
The Eagle Place building has been daubed with messages included ‘free Palestine’ and ‘terrorists’.
Leonardo says it is one of the Ministry of Defence’s biggest suppliers of defence and security equipment.
A video from the scene showed a man wearing a balaclava on top of the building’s entrance holding a red smoke flare. He shouted that the UK government is ‘complicit in genocide.’
Other messages daubed on the walls accused Leonardo of being ‘baby killers’.
The group added online: ‘Leonardo supplies Israel with Apache Helicopters and parts for their F-35 fighter jets, used to bombard Gaza.’
Activists also targeted the Foreign Office, daubing red paint across the building’s entrance and writing ‘blood’.
A post on X, formerly Twitter, from the group said: ‘Actionists spray the Foreign Office in London, 106 years after Britain signed away the land of Palestine to the zionist colonial project.
‘Since then, Britain continues to arm apartheid Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people. BRITAIN IS GUILTY!’
A spokesperson for the Met Police said: ‘Two men have been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage, which we are investigating as hate crime.
‘Messages about the conflict between Israel and Hamas have been painted onto the building in red paint, which has also been thrown at it.
‘We have no tolerance for graffiti with a hate connotation in London.
‘One of the men who climbed onto the canopy above the building was safely removed by officers. Both men are in police custody.’
A photograph shared by the force showed a person with their face covered standing on top of the entrance to the building. The slogan ‘free Gaza’ had been written behind them.
In a post on social media, Palestine Action said: ‘Palestine Action occupy and spray weapons firm Leonardo’s London HQ, suppliers of weaponry for Israel’s fighter jets.
‘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!’
The activists protested on the 106th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, a controversial statement issued by the British government in 1917 in which is supported a ‘national home for the Jewish people’ within Palestine.
The declaration is named after Arthur James Balfour, the then-British Foreign Secretary.
One of the slogans daubed on the wall of the Foreign Office reads: ‘F*** Balfour.’
MailOnline has contacted the Foreign Office and Leonardo for comment.
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
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