Six held over plot to disrupt London Stock Exchange
Six individuals have been apprehended suspected of planning to disrupt the London Stock Exchange. The Metropolitan Police revealed that intelligence indicated activists associated with the Palestine Action group had intentions to target the exchange on Monday.
Authorities believe the individuals planned to inflict damage and engage in activities to obstruct the building’s opening for trading.
Arrests were conducted in London, Liverpool, and Brighton on Sunday, with all six currently in custody.
The Metropolitan Police expressed awareness of the potential for this to be part of a larger planned week of action and is coordinating with other forces, including the City of London Police, to address any further disruptions.
The arrests were initiated based on information provided by the Daily Express.
Detective Superintendent Sian Thomas emphasized the significance of the arrests, noting that the group appeared poised to carry out a disruptive and damaging stunt with potentially serious implications if successful.
In the early hours of Sunday, a 31-year-old man from Liverpool was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage by Merseyside Police.
Five others were arrested over the same offence later in the day, including a woman, 29 from Brent in north London, a 23-year-old man from Tower Hamlets in east London, two women, aged 28 and 26, from Liverpool, and a 27-year-old man in Brighton.
“I’m grateful to the Express for their willingness to provide the information gleaned from their investigation,” Det Supt Thomas said.
“It was instrumental in helping us intervene successfully. Having only been provided with the material on Friday afternoon we had limited time to act.”
She said it was thanks to the “determined efforts” of the Met’s public order crime team and colleagues in Merseyside that officers “were able to identify, locate and arrest those we suspect to be involved in this plot”.
