Arrest after vandalizing the statue of Churchill with graffiti containing anti-war and pro-Palestine messages

A 38-year-old man was arrested on Friday morning after vandalizing the statue of Winston Churchill in front of the British Parliament, covering it with graffiti that labeled the former prime minister a 'Sionist war criminal.' The metropolitan police quickly intervened, arresting the suspect on suspicion of racially aggravated vandalism. The graffiti also included messages such as 'stop the genocide' and 'free Palestine.' Churchill's statue had been vandalized before, including during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. The monument, unveiled in 1973, is one of 12 in Parliament Square, representing notable historical figures.