The Metropolitan Police in London announced the arrest of six people for allegedly conspiring to prevent the London Stock Exchange from opening for trading on Monday.
The investigation was launched after information was passed to the Met by the Daily Express newspaper on Friday.
The suspects, according to police, were all members of the Palestinian Action Group and were planning to disrupt the stock exchange by “locking down” the building and causing “massive economic damage.”
Their plans allegedly included climbing over two revolving doors at the front of the building using fire extinguishers filled with red paint and locking themselves by the neck to the entrance.
A statement from the Met reveals: “In the early hours of Sunday 14 January, Metropolitan Police officers working alongside colleagues from Merseyside Police arrested a 31-year-old man in Liverpool on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage.”
He added, “Five other people, all believed to be part of the same plot, were arrested later on Sunday for committing the same crime.”
Detective Superintendent Sian Thomas said: “These are significant arrests. We believe that this group was prepared to carry out a sabotage and destructive act which could have had serious implications had it been carried out successfully.
“I am grateful to Express for its willingness to provide information drawn from its own investigations. It was instrumental in helping us successfully intervene.”
Six people have been arrested by detectives investigating a plot to disrupt the London Stock Exchange.
The six – all members of the Palestinian Labor Organization – were arrested in Liverpool, London and Brighton today.
They remain in detention. https://t.co/mwwIQXhkQj
– Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) January 14, 2024
The Guardian reports:
The Metropolitan Police, along with Merseyside Police officers, arrested a 31-year-old man in Liverpool on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage on Sunday morning. Police later arrested two more people in Liverpool, two women aged 28 and 26, as well as a 29-year-old woman in Brent, north London, a 23-year-old man in Tower Hamlets, east London, and a 23-year-old man. 27 years old. -Old in Brighton.
Metropolitan Police Detective Inspector Sian Thomas said: “We believe this group was prepared to carry out a sabotage and destructive act which could have had serious implications had it been carried out successfully.”
“Given consideration of the suggestion that this was part of a planned week of action, we are liaising with City of London Police as well as other forces across the UK to ensure appropriate resources are available to deal with any disruption in the coming days.”
He watches:
Urgent: Six people were arrested in connection with a plot to disrupt the London Stock Exchange https://t.co/PAiZ4D1jU3
Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/3IwwDWkSYA
– Sky News (@SkyNews) January 14, 2024
All six remain in detention.
