• The statue of Winston Churchill was defaced with phrases like “Zionist war criminal” and “Free Palestine.”
• A 38-year-old man has been arrested and linked to the group Free the Filton 24.
• The vandalism has sparked outrage from government officials.

The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, London, was vandalized with red graffiti reading “Zionist war criminal,” alongside several pro-Palestinian phrases including “Stop the Genocide” and “Free Palestine.” Additional slogans such as “Never again is Now” and “Globalise the Intifada” were also spray-painted on the statue. A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage shortly after the incident, according to aa and latimes.

The group Free the Filton 24 claimed responsibility for the act, suggesting that the vandalism was a method of drawing attention to ongoing human rights violations. The suspect, who identified himself as Olax Outis, stated he aimed to hold the British government accountable. “The current British Government should be dragged before the International Court of Justice in The Hague,” he declared via social media, reflecting significant political motivations behind the act, as noted by indiatimes and latimes.

Government officials expressed their disapproval of the act. A representative from 10 Downing Street characterized the attack as “completely abhorrent,” affirming that Churchill is a figure of national pride. The incident has stirred up discussions on the ongoing tensions around the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the methods of protest employed by activists associated with Palestine Action, as highlighted by aa and indiatimes.