Activist Greta Thunberg Arrested In London Under Terrorism Act At Pro-Gaza Protest

In the heart of London's financial district, the usual Tuesday morning bustle was shattered by a scene of vivid defiance and a high-profile arrest that has sent shockwaves through the activist community.

Greta Thunberg, the 22-year-old climate campaigner turned global advocate for human rights, found herself at the centre of a police operation outside the offices of Aspen Insurance. It was not her presence that drew the most scrutiny, but the specific wording on the placard she held—a simple statement of support for a group of prisoners that the British state now labels as terrorists.

The Hunger Strike At A 'Critical Stage'

The protest, coordinated by the collective Prisoners for Palestine, was not merely a symbolic gesture. It was a desperate bid for attention as several pro-Palestinian activists, currently held on remand, enter a life-threatening phase of a mass hunger strike. Two of the detainees have now gone 52 days without food, a milestone that medical professionals warn is the threshold for irreversible organ failure or death.

The strikers are members of Palestine Action, a direct-action group that was proscribed as a terrorist organisation by the UK government earlier this year. This designation has fundamentally shifted the legal landscape; what was once considered civil disobedience is now being prosecuted under counter-terrorism legislation.

The activists, eight in total, are protesting their continued detention without bail while they await trials—some of which are not scheduled until 2027. Their demands are clear: immediate bail, an end to alleged censorship of their communications within prison, and a meeting with Justice Secretary David Lammy.

Greta Thunberg And The Terrorism Act

As two activists reportedly used repurposed fire extinguishers to douse the front of Aspen Insurance in red paint—symbolising what they call the 'blood' of the arms trade—Thunberg sat quietly with her sign. The placard read: 'I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide.' Despite the peaceful nature of her sit-in, City of London police moved in quickly.

A spokesperson for the force confirmed that a woman had been arrested for 'displaying an item... in support of a proscribed organisation', an offence contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000. Under this specific law, the simple act of carrying a sign that suggests support for a banned group can lead to a criminal record.

This latest arrest is not Thunberg's first brush with the Metropolitan or City police. In February 2024, she was acquitted in a London court after being charged during an oil and gas protest. However, the stakes this time are significantly higher. The use of counter-terrorism powers against a world-renowned activist has ignited a fierce debate over the right to protest in Britain.

The human consequence of the standoff is becoming increasingly dire. Prisoners for Palestine reported that the hunger strikers are in a 'critical stage, where death is a real possibility.' While three participants have been forced to end their strike due to severe health risks, others continue.

The British government remains steadfast, refusing to intervene in the judicial process or meet with the families. As the clock ticks toward a potentially fatal conclusion for those in the cells, the image of Thunberg being led away by officers serves as a haunting reminder of the hardening lines between state security and political dissent.