A statue of Britain’s wartime prime minister Winston Churchill in London’s Parliament Square was vandalized with pro-Palestinian slogans overnight into Friday.
“ZIONIST WAR CRIMINAL,” “STOP THE GENOCIDE,” and “GLOBALISE THE INTIFADA” were among the messages scrawled in red paint on the statue of Churchill, an icon in British society and a popular figure in the U.S.
Police in London and Manchester recently said they would begin arresting people who chant or display the”globalize the intifada” slogan at pro-Palestinian demonstrations after terror attacks targeting Jewish communities.
As prime minister, Churchill led Britain to victory during the Second World War, but to his critics, he was an imperialist who embodies Britain’s colonial past. Churchill was a supporter of Zionism during his political career. He backed the 1917 Balfour Declaration, and supported the 1948 creation of Israel.
Republican President Donald Trump has twice restored a bust of Churchill to the Oval Office after his two Democratic predecessors, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, removed it.
What To Know
The Metropolitan Police confirmed a man has been arrested in connection with the incident. The force posted on X: “Overnight, the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square was graffitied with red paint. Officers were on scene within two minutes of being alerted shortly after 4am. A 38-yr-old man is in custody having been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage.”
The statue of the former prime minister has been targeted by vandals on multiple occasions. In June 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest sparked by the death of George Floyd, graffiti was sprayed on the monument accusing Churchill of being a racist.
Later that year, in October, an Extinction Rebellion activist was ordered to pay more than £1,500 after painting the word “racist” on the statue’s plinth during a climate protest.
The 12-foot memorial, designed by Ivor Roberts-Jones, was unveiled in 1973 by Lady Churchill, his widow. It is one of 12 statues situated in and around Parliament Square, most of which commemorate prominent statesmen, including Abraham Lincoln and Nelson Mandela.
What People Are Saying
Deputy Chair of the Conservatives Matt Vickers, an opposition party in the U.K., told GB News: “It is disgusting and vile. Whoever is doing this needs to be held to account. When we were in office we brought forward legislation to help tackle this. This is an attack on democracy, this is an attack on this country, its culture and its history.”
British broadcaster Piers Morgan said on X: “Disgusting… and what these morons will never understand is that they’re only free to do this in Britain because Churchill saved us from the Nazis.”
What Happens Next
The man in custody has not yet been charged with any offenses.
In a polarized era, the center is dismissed as bland. At Newsweek, ours is different: The Courageous Center—it’s not “both sides,” it’s sharp, challenging and alive with ideas. We follow facts, not factions. If that sounds like the kind of journalism you want to see thrive, we need you.
When you become a Newsweek Member, you support a mission to keep the center strong and vibrant. Members enjoy: Ad-free browsing, exclusive content and editor conversations. Help keep the center courageous. Join today.
