6 Arrested Over Palestine Action Group London Stock Exchange Plot

Palestine Action protesters in Oldham, where at least five people have been arrested after protests at a factory which pro-Palestinian activists claim supplies weapons to Israel, on April 13, 2021. PA Media

Detectives investigating a plot to disrupt the London Stock Exchange by pressure group Palestine Action have arrested six people.

On Monday, London’s Metropolitan Police said that the investigation began after information was passed to them by the Daily Express newspaper on Jan. 12.

Formed in July 2020, Palestine Action says it wants to shut down the arms trade with Israel. The group is participating in a nationwide campaign against Elbit Systems, a major supplier to the Ministry of Defence and one of Israel’s largest defence contractors.

London Stock Exchange

It’s alleged that activists from the group intended to target the London Stock Exchange, one of the world’s biggest financial hubs, as one part of a planned week of action, causing damage and “locking on” to prevent the building from opening for trading.

In the early hours of Sunday, Met officers working alongside colleagues from Merseyside Police, arrested a 31-year-old man in Liverpool on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage.

A further five people, all believed to be part of the same plot, were arrested later on Sunday for the same offence.

A 29-year-old woman was arrested in Albert Road, Brent, and a 23-year-old man was arrested in Voss Street, Tower Hamlets. Two women, aged 28 and 26, were arrested in Liverpool. A 27-year-old man was arrested in Brighton.

All six remain in custody.

2-Month Investigation

The allegations come after a two-month investigation during which a reporter posed as a member of the group, the Express reported.

Detective Superintendent Sian Thomas said: “These are significant arrests. We believe this group was ready to carry out a disruptive and damaging stunt which could have had serious implications had it been carried out successfully.

“I’m grateful to the Express for their willingness to provide the information gleaned from their own investigation. It was instrumental in helping us intervene successfully.

“Having only been provided with the material on Friday afternoon we had limited time to act.

“It is thanks to the determined efforts from our Public Order Crime team and our colleagues in Merseyside that we were able to identify, locate and arrest those we suspect to be involved in this plot.

“Mindful of the suggestion that this was one part of a planned week of action, we are in contact with the City of London Police as well as other forces across the UK to ensure that appropriate resources are in place to deal with any disruption in the coming days.”

In December, eight activists were acquitted of a total of 12 charges, including criminal damage, burglary, and encouraging criminal damage, the group said, while its founder, Richard Barnard, was convicted of criminal damage for his involvement in action against an Elbit Ferranti factory in Oldham, Greater Manchester.

Seven activists currently face charges of burglary and criminal damage in a trial at Bristol Crown Court after allegedly entering Elbit’s headquarters in the city.

Palestine Action

Writing on X, formerly known as Twitter, Palestine Action said the “campaign to end Israel’s weapons trade remains undeterred.”

Co-founded by Palestinian-Iraqi Huda Ammori and Extinction Rebellion’s Mr. Barnard, the group says it is a “direct action network dismantling British complicity with Israeli apartheid.”

On Oct. 7, the day of the Hamas terror attack, the group wrote on X, “The violence began when Zionist militia, backed by Britain, began the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people, destruction and theft of their land.”

“Despite the asymmetry in resources and military power, Palestinians are resisting and taking their land back,” it added.

PA Media contributed to this report.