Six individuals were arrested on Thursday following a protest by Greenpeace activists at the US embassy in Nine Elms, South West London. The demonstration involved the activists pouring 300 litres of red dye into the embassy's pond, purportedly to draw attention to the ongoing arms sales to Israel and their implications for the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
According to Greenpeace UK, 12 activists participated in the protest, using bicycles with trailers to transport the dye to the embassy. The organisation described the dye as "non-toxic" and "biodegradable," emphasising that the act was intended to highlight the "death and devastation" attributed to US weapons sales in the region.
Will McCallum, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, was confirmed to be among those arrested. Areeba Hamid, also a co-executive director at the organisation, articulated the group's position, stating, "The US government bears a heavy responsibility for the horrors unfolding in Gaza," and further condemned the arms sales contributing to the violence. Hamid suggested that immediate action was needed from US President Donald Trump to address the issue, calling for an end to arms exports to Israel.
The Metropolitan Police responded promptly to the protest, stating that they had been alerted to the incident by officers stationed at the embassy. They reported that the pond was accessible from a public footpath, clarifying that there had been "no breach or attempted breach of the secure perimeter" of the embassy property. Following the protest, six individuals were taken into custody on suspicion of criminal damage and conspiracy to cause criminal damage.
In a statement made to the press, a spokesperson for the US embassy expressed support for the right to peaceful protest but condemned the damage caused by the demonstration. The embassy indicated that the act resulted in the damage of a water supply on the premises, which holds an estimated capacity of 1.5 million gallons.
In addition to the Greenpeace protest, another demonstration took place in central London, where supporters of the group Youth Demand also called for an end to arms sales to Israel. This protest involved 27 participants blocking traffic at two locations—Buckingham Palace Road and Waterloo Road—around 9am, with some activists unfurling banners and setting off smoke flares to express their message.
The events reflect the ongoing tensions surrounding international arms sales and their impact on the conflict in Gaza, with various groups mobilising to voice their concerns through direct actions and protests in the capital.
Source: Noah Wire Services