London police arrested Greenpeace activists protesting US weapons sales to Israel.
On Thursday, five Greenpeace UK activists were arrested after releasing biodegradable, red dye into the pond outside the US embassy in London, according to the organization. The protest was against US arms sales to Israel amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
The group stated that a dozen activists transported containers labeled ‘Stop Arming Israel’ on bicycles with trailers disguised as delivery bikes. They poured what they described as non-toxic dye into the pond to represent the bloodshed in Gaza.
“The red dye highlights the death and devastation caused in Gaza as a direct result of the US’ continued sale of weapons, ammunition and military hardware to Israel,” the organization stated on its website.
Greenpeace co-executive director Will McCallum was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage, which carries a potential ten-year prison sentence, The Guardian reported. The other four activists were reportedly arrested on similar charges.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrests, stating that no security perimeters were breached during the protest. “Five people have so far been arrested nearby on suspicion of criminal damage and conspiracy to cause criminal damage,” police told the outlet.
“We took this action because US weapons continue to fuel an indiscriminate war,” Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, told The Guardian, citing the destruction of schools, hospitals, and entire neighborhoods in Gaza. She added that “tens of thousands of Palestinian lives [have been] obliterated,” and emphasized that as Israel’s largest arms supplier, the US government “bears a heavy responsibility for the horrors unfolding.”
Greenpeace is urging both the UK and US governments to impose a complete arms embargo on Israel, arguing that US weapons contribute to civilian casualties in the conflict with Hamas. The protest was part of a larger campaign to highlight the humanitarian impact of Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which local authorities say have resulted in over 50,000 deaths. Israel’s invasion of Gaza followed the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that killed approximately 1,200 people.
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