Five held over plot to disrupt London Stock Exchange by pro-Palestine activists

As a result of a suspected plot to disrupt the London Stock Exchange, six people were arrested, according to the Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom. The force said that it started its investigation on Friday after learning of the incident from the Daily Express. Palestine Action activists were reportedly planning to attack the exchange on Monday morning. As per reports, the accused allegedly intended to cause harm and planned to “lock on” in an effort to prevent the building from opening for business. Detective Superintendent Sian Thomas stated that it might have been “one part of a planned week of action”. The Met is coordinating with other forces to “ensure that appropriate resources are in place to deal with any disruption in the coming days”, Ms Thomas added. In the early hours of Sunday, officers arrested a 31-year-old man in Liverpool on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage. A further five people, all believed to be part of the same plot, were arrested later on Sunday for the same offence, Scotland Yard said. A 29-year-old woman was arrested in Brent, northwest London, and a 23-year-old man was arrested in Tower Hamlets, east London. Two women, aged 28 and 26, were arrested in Liverpool, while a 27-year-old man was arrested in Brighton. All six remain in custody. Palestine Action said: “Our direct action campaign will not be deterred. We are unafraid of putting our liberty on the line.” “These are significant arrests,” Ms Thomas said. “We believe this group was ready to carry out a disruptive and damaging stunt which could have had serious implications had it been carried out successfully. “I’m grateful to the Express for their willingness to provide the information gleaned from their own investigation. “It was instrumental in helping us to intervene successfully.” On Saturday, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched through central London. It was one of many such events since the attacks by Hamas in Israel on 7 October, and Israel’s subsequent military operations in Gaza. (With inputs from AFP)