UK police arrest man after Churchill statue sprayed with graffiti

A 38-year-old man has been arrested after the statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in London’s Parliament Square was vandalised with graffiti, including the phrase “Zionist war criminal.”

According to the Metropolitan Police, the suspect was detained early Friday morning on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage after officers witnessed him spray-painting the historic monument.

Graffiti Messages Painted in Red

Authorities reported that several slogans were written on the bronze statue located outside the Houses of Parliament. Alongside “Zionist war criminal,” the phrases:

• “Stop the genocide”
• “Free Palestine”
• “Never again is now”
• “Globalise the intifada”

were also sprayed in red paint across the monument.

A police spokesperson confirmed:

“Shortly after 4am on Friday 27 February, a man was seen spraying graffiti on the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square. Officers arrived within minutes and arrested the suspect, who remains in custody.”

Police Warning Over Protest Slogans

The arrest comes months after both the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police warned that chanting the phrase “globalise the intifada” could lead to arrest.

This policy was introduced following two separate terror incidents, including an attack at Bondi Beach in Australia and another at Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester on October 2.

Cleanup Efforts Underway

Following the incident, the statue was cordoned off while cleaning teams began removing the graffiti.

A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority condemned the vandalism, stating:

“We are appalled by this damage to the statue of Sir Winston Churchill and are working to remove the graffiti as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson from Downing Street described the act as:

“A disgrace” and “completely abhorrent,” adding that Churchill remains “a great Briton” and that the perpetrator must be held accountable.

History of Previous Vandalism

This is not the first time Churchill’s statue has been targeted.

In June 2020, during Black Lives Matter protests following the death of George Floyd in the United States, the monument was defaced with graffiti accusing Churchill of racism.

Later that year, an Extinction Rebellion activist was fined more than £1,500 for painting the word “racist” on the statue’s plinth during a climate protest.

About the Churchill Statue

The 3.6-metre bronze monument, created by sculptor Ivor Roberts-Jones, was unveiled in 1973 by Churchill’s wife, Clementine Churchill.

It is one of twelve statues located in and around Parliament Square, alongside monuments to globally recognised leaders such as Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela.