Greta Thunberg held under UK terrorism act after backing pro-Palestinian hunger strikers

Swedish climate and human rights activist Greta Thunberg was arrested in central London on Tuesday morning after joining a protest in support of Palestine Action hunger strikers. British police detained her under the Terrorism Act 2000 for holding a placard that read, “I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide” - a sign shown in a video shared by the organisers outside the offices of Aspen Insurance on Fenchurch Street in the city’s financial district.

The demonstration was organised by the campaign group Prisoners for Palestine to highlight the condition of Palestine Action members currently on a prolonged hunger strike while in custody awaiting trial. According to reports, eight activists began refusing food on 2 November , with several now hospitalized and some at what organisers describe as a “critical stage” due to the length of their strike. The hunger strikers are demanding bail, an end to mistreatment in custody, the reversal of the group’s proscription, and that the UK stop hosting weapons factories that supply arms used in the occupied territories.

Aspen Insurance was targeted because campaigners say it provides services to Elbit Systems UK , a subsidiary of the Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems — a company linked to military equipment used in conflicts in the region. Protesters argue this makes the insurer complicit in what they describe as genocidal violence. Two activists reportedly sprayed red paint over the front of the building and used hammers before police intervened, leading to multiple arrests on suspicion of criminal damage.

City of London Police confirmed that after the initial arrests for property damage, a 22‑year‑old woman was held for displaying an item in support of a proscribed organisation — meaning Palestine Action, which the UK government added to its list of banned terrorist groups earlier this year. Under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000, publicly supporting a proscribed group is a criminal offence.

Thunberg, 22, who first rose to global prominence for her climate activism, has previously faced legal consequences for civil disobedience in both the UK and Sweden. She was acquitted in London in 2024 of a public order offence linked to another demonstration.

The arrest has sparked debate about the limits of protest under anti‑terror laws in Britain. Critics argue that applying terrorism legislation to peaceful public expression, especially from a high‑profile figure like Thunberg - raises serious concerns for civil liberties and the right to dissent. Supporters of the police action stress that officers are enforcing existing laws without political bias.

British government officials have so far refused to meet with representatives of the hunger strikers, maintaining that decisions on bail and detention are a matter for the courts, not ministers. Prisons Minister Lord Timpson reiterated that the justice system operates independently with the separation of powers upheld as a cornerstone of the UK’s legal framework.

As of now, formal charges against Thunberg have not been announced and no additional details have been released about her detention or next legal steps. The incident underscores the growing tension between protest movements and counter‑terrorism enforcement in the UK.