London (AFP) – London police on Tuesday arrested Swedish activist Greta Thunberg at a demonstration in support of pro-Palestinian hunger strikers, Palestinian campaign groups said.
Thunberg’s arrest makes her the highest profile person to be detained by police since the government banned the Palestine Action group under anti-terror laws.
Prisoners for Palestine, which organised the protest, said in a statement that Thunberg was arrested under the UK Terrorism Act.
Thunberg, 22, was holding a sign reading: “I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide.”
City of London Police said several people were arrested.
They did not directly name Thunberg, but said “a 22-year-old woman… 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”.
Hours later, police said she was released on bail.
Police said another three people were arrested at the protest, at a building in London’s financial quarter, on suspicion of criminal damage.
The three were detained after “hammers and red paint were used to damage a building” and they glued themselves to fixtures nearby, police said.
Prisoners for Palestine said its protest had targeted the offices of Aspen Insurance because the company provided services to Israeli-linked defence firm Elbit Systems UK.
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