Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained by police in London after taking part in a protest in support of Palestine. The detention was announced on social media by Prisoners for Palestine, the platform that organized the demonstration. British police confirmed that Thunberg and two other individuals were taken into custody during the protest.

The demonstration was part of a broader campaign targeting companies accused of doing business with Israeli-linked defense firms. While activists insisted the protest was peaceful, the police intervention sparked widespread public debate and media attention in the UK and beyond.

Protest Outside Aspen Insurance Office

According to organizers, the protest took place outside the London offices of Aspen Insurance, which activists claim provides insurance services to Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. Demonstrators sprayed red paint on the building’s entrance and staged a sit-in in front of the office.

Prisoners for Palestine said the action aimed to draw attention to eight detainees imprisoned for their involvement in pro-Palestine protests and alleged links to the activist network known as “Palestine Action.” The group stated that the activists have been held in prison for nearly a year.

Palestine Action Ban and Hunger Strike

In the UK, actions carried out by the activist group Palestine Action, which targets companies connected to Israel, were banned in July. Following the ban, eight activists were arrested and later began a hunger strike while in custody.

Qesser Zuhrah, who had been on hunger strike for 51 days, has since ended the protest. However, Amy Gardiner-Gibson continues her hunger strike despite being hospitalized three times. Due to health complications, three prisoners have stopped their hunger strikes, while five continue to refuse food.

UK Government Rejects Meeting Request

Representatives of the prisoners who remain on hunger strike requested talks with government officials, but the request was rejected. UK Minister of State for Prisons, Probation and Reducing Reoffending William James Timpson stated that hunger strikes are not uncommon in British prisons.

Timpson said that an average of around 200 prisoners in the UK go on hunger strike each year and dismissed allegations regarding prison conditions. In a statement, he said:

“Ministers will not meet with representatives of prisoners. We have a justice system based on the separation of powers. An independent judiciary is the cornerstone of this system. It would be unlawful and inappropriate for ministers to meet with prisoner representatives during ongoing legal proceedings.”

The detention of Greta Thunberg has once again brought international attention to pro-Palestine activism in the UK and the growing tensions surrounding protests linked to the Gaza conflict.