Police foil planned protest at London Stock Exchange by Palestinian group

Mark Moran & Adam Schrader
·2 min read
14
UPI
Detectives investigating a plot to disrupt the London Stock Exchange have arrested six people, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. Photo by Tolga Akman/EPA

Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Detectives investigating a plot to disrupt the London Stock Exchange have arrested six people, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

The Met launched the investigation Friday after information was provided to police by the right-wing Daily Express tabloid.

The Palestine Action group had threatened to cause damage and a so-called 'locking on' in an effort to prevent the building opening for trading Monday morning, the Met said in a statement.

"The London Stock Exchange raises billions of pounds for the apartheid state of Israel and actively boasts about their support for Israeli businesses," the protest group said in its own statement. "The exchange also trades shares in weapons manufacturers who arm Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people."

The protest group said Palestinians are being "massacred" and "brutally colonized" by a regime backed by Britain. So far, Israel has killed at least 23,000 people in Palestine, a nation recognized by the majority of countries.

"Palestine Action has consistently taken direct action against the Israeli weapons trade," the protest group said. "We are unafraid of putting our liberty on the line in order to bring down Israeli weapons manufacturers and those who facilitate them."

Met officers working with Merseyside Police arrested a 31-year-old man in Liverpool on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage, the BBC reported.

Police arrested an additional five people who are believed to be involved in the plot in London, Liverpool and Brighton on Sunday, including a woman, 29 from Brent in north London, a 23-year-old man from Tower Hamlets in east London, two women, aged 28 and 26, from Liverpool and a 27-year-old man in Brighton.

All six remain in custody.

"These are significant arrests. We believe this group was ready to carry out a disruptive and damaging stunt which could have had serious implications had it been carried out successfully," Met Detective Superintendent Sian Thomas said.

"I'm grateful to the Express for their willingness to provide the information gleaned from their own investigation. It was instrumental in helping us intervene successfully."

Thomas added that the Met will work with other police and remain on high alert.