Swedish climate and human-rights activist Greta Thunberg was briefly detained by London police during a protest in support of pro-Palestinian hunger strikers, then released on bail. The high-profile activist’s arrest has generated global reactions and intensified debate around UK protest laws and free expression.
Protest at Aspen Insurance in Central London
On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Greta Thunberg, 22, was arrested by City of London Police during a demonstration outside the offices of Aspen Insurance on Fenchurch Street in central London. The protest was organized by the group Prisoners for Palestine to show solidarity with hunger-striking detainees linked to Palestine Action, a group banned as a terrorist organization under UK law.
In footage shared by the protest group, Thunberg is seen holding a sign reading “I support the Palestine Action prisoners. I oppose genocide.” It was this placard that led to her arrest under Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000, because British authorities consider expressing support for Palestine Action a criminal offense.
Two other demonstrators were also detained after spraying red paint on the building and attaching themselves to its façade in a symbolic act of protest.
Release on Bail and Legal Context
Thunberg was held in custody but later released on bail with conditions, with her next court date scheduled for March 2026.
Aspen Insurance, the site of the protest, was targeted because campaigners say it provides services to Elbit Systems UK, a subsidiary of the Israeli defense company Elbit Systems. This claimed connection has made Aspen a focal point for activists critical of arms trade links to the conflict in Gaza.
Supporters on Hunger Strike
The protest highlighted the ongoing hunger strike by several Palestine Action affiliates detained in UK prisons. According to reports, multiple prisoners had refused food for weeks, with some admitted to hospital due to deteriorating health.
Protesters and supporters argue that these activists are political prisoners and have called for their immediate release, the dropping of charges, and an end to the proscription of Palestine Action. Authorities, however, maintain that decisions about bail and detention are judicial matters.
International Reaction
The arrest of Greta Thunberg—known globally for her climate activism—sparked international commentary. Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, publicly criticized the UK government’s response. On the social platform X, she wrote that arresting protestors for opposing what they describe as genocide only strengthens resolve among human-rights advocates worldwide and that leaders complicit in such policies must ultimately face justice.
Thunberg’s Broader Activism
While Thunberg rose to fame as a climate campaigner, this is not her first involvement in international protest movements. In 2025, she was detained and later deported by Israeli authorities after participating in a Gaza aid flotilla.
Her participation in the London protest underscores the broadening scope of her activism into issues of global justice and human rights, drawing both support and criticism from different corners of public discourse.
From: qodsna