Churchill statue painted red by Dutch activist group

On the morning of 27 February, the statue of Winston Churchill at Parliament Square, London, was smeared with red paint:

Dutch group Free the Filton 24 NL claimed the action. It’s one of many international groups standing in solidarity with Palestine Action, especially with the 33 political prisoners. This is the first action this group has claimed on UK soil.

Hiding from accountability

In a public statement, Dutch activist Olax Outis, spoke on behalf of the group. He openly expressed his opinion of the British and Dutch governments, calling them:

a bunch of cowards hiding from accountability.

The antisemite Winston Churchill, responsible for implementing the Balfour Declaration that handed Palestine over to the Israeli occupier, gets his fair share of insults as well. Although Outis noted that if it existed, he would rather demolish a statue of current Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

This is Free the Filton 24 NL’s first action outside its own borders. But the group has stood in solidarity with the British resistance to genocide since its founding. The Dutch activists have joined the British people in their recent series of celebrations, but remind the still oppressed UK citizens:

We aren’t done yet. This isn’t over.

Like thousands of activists in dozens of countries across the world, Free the Filton 24 NL targeted the British Embassy in its country. It used daily noise protests, vandalism, blockades, and an envelope containing baby poo delivered to the mailbox. Largely ignored, which seems to be a very good representation by the embassy, the group demands the UK government to “Clean up your shit!”

Another target is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, because the human rights violations in the UK also affect the human rights of Dutch citizens. Fifteen Dutch citizens have been arrested a total of 40 times on suspicion of terrorism. Thirty-nine of these allegedly terrorist acts involved silently holding a sign that read:

I oppose genocide – I support Palestine Action

Churchill statue a listed sculpture

Outis is currently under arrest, and the Metropolitan police are investigating. Whether the statue of Winston Churchill can be restored is currently unclear. The statue is a so-called listed sculpture and is part of a group of statues of politicians, some of them not complicit in genocide.

Churchill is now considered by many Britons to be the most popular politician ever. But after world war two, the British people voted the wartime prime minister out of office as quickly as possible, making way for a progressive counter-narrative.

Free the Filton 24 NL calls him out for Zionist war crimes. And compares him to current war criminal Keir Starmer and human rights violator Yvette Cooper.

‘Actievoeren werkt!’ – ‘Action works!’

British activist groups and their international comrades have recently achieved several major victories. The ban on Palestine Action has been declared unlawful, the Filton 24 have all been acquited of aggravated burglary, and most of them have been released on bail.

The nearly 3,000 people arrested on terrorism charges since July have so overwhelmed the system that police seem to have given up the investigation entirely. Charges are met with mockery, suspects wear the terrorist label as a badge of honour.

The hunger strikes have been paused and the strikers appear to be largely recovering. All over the world, people are cheering for the victory of the British people over their deceitful rulers.

But in occupied Palestine, dozens of people are still being slaughtered by the Zionist occupier every day. Drones are still being manufactured in the UK, advertised at Dutch arms fairs as ‘field tested [on Palestinians]’.

The Netherlands and the UK are still investing tens of billions of euros and pounds in Israel. Outis stated:

We’re still dealing with two governments that have made it clear they would rather let their own citizens die than stop genocide. That is why we must continue to take action. We are not done yet.

Featured image via the Canary