London, England — Climate activist Greta Thunberg was briefly arrested Tuesday while participating in a protest supporting hunger strikers linked to the banned activist group Palestine Action, drawing renewed attention to the U.K.’s handling of pretrial detention and protest activity related to the Gaza conflict.
Thunberg was detained after joining demonstrators outside a building used by Aspen Insurance, which protesters say provides services connected to Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems. Images from the scene show Thunberg seated on the ground holding a sign reading, “I support Palestine Action prisoners” and “I oppose genocide.” Protesters also splashed red paint on the building as part of the demonstration.
According to advocacy groups, Thunberg was released shortly after her arrest, while two other protesters remained in custody. In a social media post following her release, Thunberg accused the U.K. government of enabling what she described as a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and of detaining activists without trial as their health deteriorates.
The protest centered on eight Palestine Action-linked activists who launched a hunger strike while in pretrial detention. Four have refused food for more than 50 days, with doctors warning of potentially life-threatening complications. Supporters argue the detainees are being held beyond the U.K.’s six-month pretrial limit, raising legal and human rights concerns.
British officials have not publicly detailed the basis for the arrests, but the incident has intensified scrutiny of protest policing and the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action under terrorism-related authorities.
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