Climate-Greta Arrested in London After Supporting Terrorist-Labeled Organization

The Swedish Gaza activist and former climate activist Greta Thunberg was arrested in central London after expressing support for the UK-designated terrorist organization Palestine Action. The arrest took place during a demonstration in support of hunger-striking members charged with serious crimes, including extensive vandalism of military property. Thunberg has since been released on bail – while she also faces charges in Finland.

According to City of London Police, Greta Thunberg was arrested under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000 after carrying a sign expressing support for Palestine Action. In photos and video, she is seen holding a sign with the message “I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide.” Displaying support for the organization is a criminal offense since it was designated as a terrorist group by the British government.

Police state that Thunberg was later released on bail and the matter is now proceeding through legal channels.

Hunger Strike Among Convicted and Accused Activists

The demonstration was about several imprisoned or detained activists linked to Palestine Action who have been on a hunger strike since early November. They are in custody awaiting trial or are serving sentences for crimes such as break-ins, serious vandalism, and violent resistance.

Among the names mentioned in British media are Kamran Ahmed, 28, and Amu Gib, 30, both of whom were treated in hospital after a prolonged hunger strike. According to reports, several of those detained have connections to pro-Palestinian networks and activism, focusing on the Jewish state of Israel’s defensive war against the terrorist organization Hamas that controls Gaza, after the latter carried out a massacre of Jewish youths on October 7, 2023.

Millions in Damages to Military Aircraft – Basis for Terror Designation

The background of the terrorist designation is a series of actions where members of Palestine Action broke into a military airbase in southern England and caused damage to two military aircraft amounting to millions. The government has equated the organization with other banned terrorist groups, meaning that even symbolic support – such as placards or slogans – can lead to prosecution.

The organization has carried out several attacks against companies with ties to Israel, including in the defense industry and businesses that cooperate with Elbit Systems. At the demonstration in question, the entrance to an insurance company in London was vandalized with red paint before the police intervened.

Government: No Concessions

The British government has rejected the hunger strikers’ demands to lift the terrorist classification or release those detained. The Ministry of Justice stresses that those charged are suspected of serious crimes.

They emphasize that legal proceedings should be handled by the courts without political interference, in accordance with the principles of separation of powers in a democracy. It remains unclear what legal consequences Greta Thunberg’s actions will have.

Charges Also in Finland

Meanwhile, Greta Thunberg is facing other legal proceedings. In Finland, she is charged with disobedience to authorities after participating in an illegal climate extremist demonstration in Helsinki in the summer of 2024, during which traffic was blocked. According to Finnish media, a daily fine is the likely penalty, and she does not necessarily need to be present in person at the trial.

The arrest in London thus marks yet another legal setback for Thunberg, who in recent years has increasingly profiled herself as a Gaza activist rather than a climate activist, in ways that have been perceived as supportive of the terrorist-labeled Hamas and violent antisemitism — something that has led many of those who previously supported Thunberg’s climate activism to now distance themselves.