Palestine Action cover Balfour statue in ketchup 'fake blood'

Palestine Action activists covered a statue of Lord Arthur Balfour in ketchup ‘blood’ at the UK Houses of Parliament on Saturday, in protest against British complicity with the Israeli occupation. 

As British foreign secretary, Lord Balfour wrote the infamous 67-word declaration in 1917 which granted the Zionist movement a ‘homeland’ in Palestine, paving the way for ethnic cleansing and displacement during the creation of the state of Israel.  

"British complicity never ended. Palestine Action is here to make sure that it does. We’re striking at the heart of parliament from here to Elbit factory. Free Palestine!" said one of the activists as they glued themselves to the statue. 

The two women posed as tourists to enter the members' lobby of the House of Commons, before coating the statue of Balfour in what the group described as "fake blood". 

"Palestinians have suffered for 105 years because of this man, Lord Balfour - he gave away their homeland and it wasn’t his to give," said the demonstrator. 

BREAKING: Palestine Action strike the heart of the British government to deface Balfour's statue in the House of Commons #Balfour105 #DecolonisePalestine #ShutElbitDown pic.twitter.com/C8udrktm5t

— Palestine Action (@Pal_action) November 12, 2022

The pair were then removed, arrested and taken to a nearby Westminster police station. 

One activist was released at 03:30 on Sunday morning, while the other will be held until a bail hearing in London tomorrow. 

They have been charged with over £3,000 pounds in criminal damage costs for spraying the statue with tomato sauce. 

Gaza-based Act for Palestine Foundation welcomed the action, thanking Palestine Action for “working relentlessly to dismantle British complicity with Israeli apartheid".