Statue of Winston Churchill defaced in London

The statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square in Westminster, central London, was defaced overnight with the words “Zionist war criminal” and other graffiti, prompting a police investigation.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police were alerted to the vandalism shortly after 4 a.m. on February 27. The 12-foot monument was later cordoned off as cleaning crews began removing the graffiti, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

A 38-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage. In an update, police said he was further arrested on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, which is a proscribed organisation, under the Terrorism Act. He remains in custody.

A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority said: “We are appalled by this vandalism to the statue of Sir Winston Churchill and work is under way to remove the graffiti as quickly as possible.”

The statue, located on the north-east corner of Parliament Square, was created by sculptor Ivor Roberts-Jones and unveiled in 1973 by Churchill’s widow, Clementine Churchill. It is one of 12 statues in and around the square, which also features monuments to prominent figures such as Nelson Mandela and Abraham Lincoln.

The Churchill statue has been vandalised several times in recent years, including during large-scale demonstrations in London.

In December last year, both the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police announced that anyone chanting “globalise the intifada” would face arrest. 

By Sabina Mammadli