She was arrested again this Tuesday in London (United Kingdom), this time for carrying a banner supporting Palestine Action, an organization banned last summer. The arrest took place during a protest outside the offices of the insurance company Aspen Insurance in the British capital, where the 22-year-old Swedish activist attended with a sign that said: “I support the prisoners of Palestine Action. I oppose genocide”, in reference to the members of the organization in provisional prison, some of whom have been on hunger strike since November 2.
As can be seen in a video broadcast by the Prisoners for Palestine platform, Greta Thunberg, dressed in a black down jacket and a wool hat, was sitting on the ground with the banner before several City of London Police officers approached her (one of the most exclusive districts of London, which has its own police force). The images show one of them telling the young woman: “I’m going to take this away from you,” while removing the handwritten sign on the back of a Palestinian flag.
A spokesperson for the City of London Police explained that Greta Thunberg’s arrest came shortly after that of a man and a woman for alleged criminal damage, after part of the wall of the insurance company’s building was sprayed with red paint. The activists used fire extinguishers, as well as hammers, and later used an adhesive substance to glue their bodies to the facilities, located on Fenchurch Street, one of London’s financial arteries. Specialist agents were necessary to free them and subsequently take them into police custody.
According to the promoters of the protest, Aspen was chosen for providing services to the defense firm Elbit System, linked to Israel and the object of protest actions by Palestinian Action in the past. Thunberg’s arrest, however, responded to the banner of support for a “outlawed organization.” The declaration of Palestine Action as a terrorist group marked the first time that a protest platform has been considered a terrorist organization in the United Kingdom and was due, according to the British Home Office, to “aggressive and intimidating attacks” against businesses, including material damage, as well as intelligence that would point to future attacks. Belonging to or supporting Palestinian Action is a crime under the Terrorism Law of 2000, a highly controversial decision that has led to strong criticism of the Government.
Greta Thunberg’s presence this Tuesday responded to the chain of coordinated actions to support the hunger strikers during their provisional detention. At least three of them have had to give up, due to deteriorating health, but others continue. Among their demands is the annulment of the contracts of arms factories that supply material to Israel, the decriminalization of Palestine Action, the end of what they denounce as mistreatment of prisoners in custody and their immediate release.
The British Government faces growing pressure to intervene, especially after numerous politicians who have visited those imprisoned have raised alarms about the possible risk of death as a result of the hunger strike. The Labor Executive, however, refuses to intervene in ongoing legal cases and has insisted, through the Secretary of State for Prisons, that the decision lies with the judges and that “intervening would be entirely unconstitutional and inappropriate on the part of the Government.”
