Four arrested for London paint stunt in Palestine protest

Footage shows building entrance of 77 Kingsway covered in red paint

Palestine Action activists outside the building in Holborn, London. PA

Four protesters have been arrested after gluing themselves together and spraying paint on a building in central London, the Metropolitan Police said.

Palestine Action activists blockaded the building in Holborn where they said that Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems has an office.

“If this were Palestine, this smoke might well be Elbit-made tear gas used on the Palestinian people,” the campaign group said on Twitter.

“Palestine is being choked by the warmongers at Elbit — and our place in the fight to #FreePalestine is to join the resistance and #ShutElbitDown”.

Footage showed the entrance of 77 Kingsway — one of the busiest roads through the area — covered in red paint.

Four demonstrators, with their arms locked together in cylinder tubes, chanted: “Shut Elbit down”.

Two men and two women were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and assault, according to police, and a member of staff at the building was allegedly assaulted.

The force's de-bonding team was deployed after officers were called to reports of a demonstration at Kingsway at about 8:30am on Tuesday.

The protesters were also pictured letting off coloured smoke flares.

Palestine Action is a protest group with a long-running campaign against Elbit. They claim the company profits from Israeli attacks on Palestinians.

Elbit Systems was contacted for comment.