On April 10, 2025, six Greenpeace UK activists were arrested outside the US Embassy in London after they poured blood-red dye into the embassy’s ornamental pond. This act of protest was a statement against the United States’ continued arms sales to Israel, a policy that Greenpeace argues is exacerbating the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
The activists, including Will McCallum, Greenpeace UK’s Executive Director, aimed to draw attention to the devastating toll that US-supplied weapons are inflicting on civilians in Gaza. Since the beginning of the conflict in October 2023, over 50,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, have lost their lives. The destruction of vital infrastructure, including schools, hospitals, and refugee camps, has been a direct result of military actions fuelled by weapons from the US and, to a lesser extent, the UK.
Greenpeace’s protest is not an isolated incident. Many governments, including Spain, Canada, and the Netherlands, have already implemented arms embargoes on Israel, recognising that such sales may contribute to war crimes. Public opinion in both the US and the UK is shifting, with a majority of citizens in both countries supporting a stop to these weapons transfers.
The UK’s involvement is equally troubling.
Since 2015, the UK has sold nearly £500 million worth of military hardware to Israel, and while some export licences have been suspended, critical military equipment, including parts for F-35 fighter jets, has not been affected. This calls into question the government’s commitment to human rights in conflict zones. Despite the clear evidence of civilian casualties and widespread destruction in Gaza, both the US and UK governments have shown little willingness to end their support for Israel’s military actions.
Dr. Iain Overton, Executive Director of Action on Armed Violence (AOAV), commented: “The US and UK governments must ask themselves what has their role been in prolonging this war? By continuing to arm Israel, they risk being complicit in the ongoing loss of civilian life and the destruction of Gaza. We stand with those peacefully calling for a stop to the sale of weapons that are fuelling this catastrophe.”
AOAV stands in solidarity with Greenpeace UK and all those who are peacefully and legally calling for an end to arms sales to Israel. The ongoing bloodshed in Gaza demands that the international community take meaningful steps to stop the cycle of violence. It is time for governments to listen to the voices of those who are suffering and to stop fuelling this devastating conflict.
The arrest of Greenpeace activists is a reminder of the lengths to which people will go to protest injustices. We echo their call for action: it’s time to stop the killing and hold governments accountable for their role in perpetuating violence.
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