The UK-based pro-Palestine group Palestine Action carried out coordinated vandalism in locations across London and Manchester to coincide with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration signing. The incidents are being investigated as “hate crime,” according to the Metropolitan Police.
November 2 marked 107 years since the signing of the Balfour Declaration, a British pledge, which Palestine Action said “began the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by signing the land away.”
Palestine Action targeted Cambridge University, the alma mater of Arthur Balfour, which the group claimed is complicit in the “genocide of the Palestinians” in a public statement.
The group sprayed Cambridge University’s Institute of Manufacturing with red paint, allegedly due to the Institute’s ties to companies with connections to Israel. Palestine Action listed Rolls-Royce, Siemens, and BAE Systems among the Institute’s research partners, all of which are “genocidal companies.”
Palestine Action also called on Birmingham, Bristol, Imperial College London, Loughborough, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton, Surrey and Swansea to “smash, paint and occupy their Rolls-Royce buildings.”
London offices
The group also targeted the company Britain Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM) in Hampstead and the office of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) in Hendon.
Palestine Action called BICOM “one of the most influential Israel lobby groups in this country,” which made its wealth “from manufacturing Israeli weapons.”
According to the group, “The JNF raises funds to demolish Palestinian homes and build settlements on top of stolen Palestinian land – a recognized war crime.”
Responding to claims that both BICOM and JNF are registered charities, Palestine Action said, “BICOM is NOT a “Jewish charity.”
Earlier in the day, Palestine Action abducted sculptures of Israel’s first president, Chaim Weizmann, from the University of Manchester.
Phil Rosenberg, President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, released a statement condemning the “thuggery and vandalism.”
“The defacement of buildings housing British Jewish charities and university property is intended to harass and intimidate, Rosenberg said.
Rosenberg added that the actions must be punished with the full force of the law.
BICOM said it was “appalled by the attacks.”
“These cowardly, violent acts of domestic terrorism do nothing to support the situation in the Middle East and only threaten and endanger British citizens.”
“Zero tolerance for hate crime”
Community Security Trust (CST) said the “damage has been claimed by an extremist group that uses violence and intimidation to pursue its goals.”
CST added that it was in contact with the police and will be working to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
Hendon MP David Pinto-Duschinsky said he would not tolerate the acts of “despicable hatred.”
Hampstead Detective Chief Inspector Paul Ridley gave “full reassurance that this incident will be robustly investigated.”
“We have been clear that we have a zero tolerance for hate crime.”
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Dookie of Hendon said the police were interviewing witnesses and collecting CCTV, known as video surveillance footage. He added that the police had increased patrols in the area and did not underestimate the impact of the incident on the community.”
On the same day, Palestine Action claimed that members of the pro-Palestinian group abducted a statue of former Israeli President Chaim Weizmann from the University of Manchester.
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