Greta Thunberg has been arrested in central London at a protest supporting jailed Palestine Action protesters on hunger strike.
Footage shows the 22-year-old activist holding a sign saying ‘I support Palestine Action prisoners, I oppose genocide’ outside the headquarters of an insurance firm.
A City of London Police officer can be seen taking away the placard before asking Ms Thunberg to stand.
The Prisoners for Palestine protest group said it targeted Aspen Insurance because it provides services to Israeli-linked defence firm Elbit Systems.
Two activists sprayed red paint over the front of the building before police arrived and made arrests.
The group launched its campaign as eight Palestine Action protesters began an open-ended hunger strike while on remand in prison.
After nearly two months, three of them have stopped, one is eating intermittently and four are said to still be taking part.
Relatives of one of the protesters, Teuta Hoxha, 29, have warned she could die within days. She was arrested for her alleged role in an attack on the Ebit systems factory in Bristol.
Palestine Action was banned by the Government as a terrorist group in July after activists damaged RAF planes and hundreds of its supporters have been arrested.
Ms Thunberg was previously arrested in London at a 2023 for ‘refusing to move’ when told to by police officers during a protest against an oil and gas conference.
The Swede has spoken out previously about the hunger strikers, who are in prison awaiting trial for alleged break-ins or criminal damage on behalf of Palestine Action before the group was banned under terrorism legislation.
She described the activists as ‘political prisoners’ in a video posted on her Instagram on Monday, adding the Government should meet their demands to be released from custody and for charges to be dropped.
The protest comes after several imprisoned Palestine Action activists, including one who has refused to eat for 52 days, have been taken to hospital in recent days.
Since the hunger strike began on November 2, a total of seven prisoners have been taken to hospital.
Kamran Ahmed, 28, who was being held at Pentonville Prison in London, and Amu Gib, 30, who was being held at HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, have both been admitted to hospital in the last week after refusing food.
Prisoners for Palestine previously said Gib’s health has ‘deteriorated rapidly’ since joining the hunger strike on November 2, and the activist now needs to use a wheelchair.
Gib was taken to hospital on Saturday.
A legal firm representing the hunger strikers has said it submitted a pre-action letter on Monday against the Justice Secretary David Lammy.
The letter calls for a response within 24 hours, saying the issue is a ‘matter of urgency’, as ‘our clients’ health continues to deteriorate, such that the risk of their dying increases every day’.
It says: ‘They request an urgent meeting with the proposed defendant to discuss the deterioration of our clients’ health and to discuss attempts to resolve the situation.’
Last Thursday, emergency physician Dr James Smith told journalists some of the activists ‘are dying’ and need specialist medical help.
The prisoners all face charges relating to alleged break-ins or criminal damage on behalf of Palestine Action before the group was banned under terrorism legislation.
Gib is charged with breaking into RAF Brize Norton and spray painting two RAF Voyager planes in support of Palestine Action.
Ahmed, who is on day 43 of his strike, is accused of breaking into the UK site of an Israel-based defence firm near Patchway, Bristol, with sledgehammers in August 2024, causing £1 million of damage.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously said the ‘rules and procedures’ are being followed, after facing questions in the Commons about why his ministers had refused to meet with representatives of those striking.
Prisons minister Lord Timpson has previously said the service is ‘very experienced’ at dealing with hunger strikes and has ‘robust and working’ systems in place and the Prison Service ‘will not be meeting’ any prisoners or their representatives.
A City of London Police spokesperson said today: ‘At around 7am this morning hammers and red paint were used to damage a building on Fenchurch Street.
‘A man and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. They glued themselves nearby and specialist officers are working to release them, and bring them into police custody.
‘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.’
