December 23, 2025 | 09:45 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Police in London, England, arrested Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, during a pro-Palestinian protest. As reported by France24, authorities said Thunberg was holding a sign in support of the Palestine Action group, which is prohibited under the UK terrorism law.
"A little while later, a 22-year-old woman also attended the scene," a spokesperson for the London police said in a statement. "She has been arrested for displaying an item (in this case a placard) in support of a proscribed organisation (in this case Palestine Action) contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000."
In a video shared by the protest group Prisoners for Palestine, as reported by Sky News, Thunberg is seen holding a sign that reads "I support Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide" at the protest outside the headquarters of Aspen Insurance in London.
The UK-based campaign group Defend Our Juries said they targeted the building because an insurance company believed to provide services to the UK arm of the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems uses it.
Two activists sprayed red paint on the front of the building before the police arrived and made the arrest.
The Swedish activist was at the London protest to support several members of Palestine Action who are currently in pre-trial detention and have been on a hunger strike since November 2.
At least three of them who initially started the hunger strike have now stopped due to deteriorating health, but others continue.
The hunger strikers demand an end to the UK's role as a host to weapons factories supplying arms to Israel, the lifting of the ban on Palestine Action, an end to the mistreatment of prisoners in jail, and immediate release on bail.
They have been visited by several politicians, some of whom have warned the UK government that the hunger-striking prisoners may die in the coming days.
However, the government insists it will not intervene in the ongoing legal cases.
British Prisons Minister James Timpson said, "These prisoners are charged with serious offences including aggravated burglary and criminal damage. Remand decisions are for independent judges, and lawyers can make representations to the court on behalf of their clients."
Timpson refused to meet with them. "We have a justice system that is based on the separation of powers, and the independent judiciary is the cornerstone of our system. It would be entirely unconstitutional and inappropriate for ministers to intervene in ongoing legal cases," he said.
A spokesperson for Defend Our Juries expressed hope for Greta's immediate release without charge.
"In calling people terrorists who are not terrorists they are not acting to protect the public, they are acting to protect the companies profiting from genocide and the genocidal state of Israel itself."
Read: UK Prime Minister Holds Call With Trump on Ukraine and Gaza
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