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Churchill Statue Just Got Defaced Again

Suspected vandal arrested in London after pro-Palestinian slogans were painted
Posted Feb 27, 2026 10:22 AM CST
Churchill Statue Defaced With Graffiti in London
The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, defaced with graffiti, in London, Friday, Feb. 27, 2026.   (Lucy North/PA via AP)

London's statue of Winston Churchill is again a political flashpoint, this time over the Israel-Gaza war. Police say a 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage after red paint was sprayed on the Parliament Square monument, reports the BBC. "Zionist war criminal," "Stop the Genocide," "Free Palestine," and "Globalise the Intifada" were among the painted phrases. Cleaning is underway.

The Dutch group "Free the Filton 24," a reference to activists charged with breaking into Israeli defense firm Elbit's sites in the UK, claimed responsibility for the vandalism, per the AP. The slogan "globalise the intifada" is flagged by UK police as arrestable language because it's seen as a call to target Jewish people worldwide. Churchill's 12-foot bronze likeness, unveiled in 1973, has been repeatedly targeted in recent years, including during Black Lives Matter and climate protests, when graffiti accusing him of racism was scrawled on its plinth.

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