Julia Conley: Greta Thunberg Arrested in UK for Supporting Palestine Action and Opposing Gaza Genocide

Thunberg joined a call for British officials to meet with the lawyers of Palestine Action protesters who have been on a hunger strike in prison. 

“Because in the world we live in, Western leaders can arm a genocide and walk free—while Greta Thunberg is arrested as a dangerous terrorist supporter.”

That was the assessment of journalist Owen Jones on Tuesday after the Swedish climate justice leader was arrested in London outside the offices of Aspen Insurance, a company that provides services to an Israeli weapons maker, where she had been seated on the ground with a sign stating, “I support Palestine Action prisoners, I oppose genocide.”

The protest was in solidarity with demonstrators who have been imprisoned for taking part in nonviolent direct actions with the UK-based group Palestine Action. The government banned Palestine Action in July as a terrorist group, making it the first group to be declared as such under part of the UK Terrorism Act that defines “serious damage to property” as an act of terror—rather than violence against people. 

Under the law, anyone who displays items or clothing that “arouse reasonable suspicion” of support for Palestine Action can be punished with up to six months in prison. 

Thunberg is one of thousands of people who have taken to the streets in support since the group’s proscription, and one of about 2,000 peoplewho have been arrested for doing so. Two other activists were also arrested on suspicion of criminal damage.

In Thunberg’s case, a spokesperson for City of London police said “she has been arrested for displaying an item (in this case a placard) in support of a proscribed organization (in this case Palestine Action) contrary to section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000.”

The protest was specifically in support of eight people who have been on a hunger strike to protest their imprisonment and Israel’s continued attacks and blocking of essential aid in Gaza.

At least two of the prisoners are in their 52nd day of the hunger strike, and medical professionals have raised grave concerns about their health. Advocates in the UK have also demanded that the Labour government meet with lawyers for the detainees. On Monday, attorneys for the activists said in a letter that the government’s refusal to meet with them violates the Ministry of Justice’s policy for handling cases of hunger strikes. 

“It is up to the state to intervene and put an end to this by meeting these reasonable demands that pave the way for the freedom of all those who choose to use their rights trying to stop a genocide, something the British state has failed to do themselves,” said Thunberg. 

Member of Parliament Zarah Sultana, co-founder of the socialist Your Party, said that government leaders in the UK, who have continued to back Israel’s attacks on Gaza, should be imprisoned, rather than those protesting. 

“Greta Thunberg has just been arrested for opposing genocide,” said Sultana. “Meanwhile, [Prime Minister] Keir Starmer—complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people—walks free. He should be arrested and sent to The Hague.”

Journalist Matt Kennard said images of police confiscating Thunberg’s sign and arresting her “will be studied in history books.”

“Fascism is already here,” he added.

First published in Common Dreams. Licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.

Julia Conley is a staff writer for Common Dreams.