In the quiet early hours of Friday, 27 February 2026, the bronze statue of Sir Winston Churchill in London’s Parliament Square became the focal point of a dramatic act of protest. As dawn broke, passersby and police discovered the monument—standing twelve feet tall and facing the Houses of Parliament—defaced with bold red graffiti. Words such as "Zionist war criminal," "Stop the Genocide," "Free Palestine," "Never again is Now," and "Globalise the Intifada" were sprayed across the statue, instantly drawing national attention and sparking a fresh debate over protest, free speech, and historical memory.
According to the BBC, police responded swiftly. Caspar San Giorgio, a 38-year-old man of no fixed address, was arrested shortly after 4:00 AM on Friday at the scene. Authorities charged him with criminal damage just before 4:00 AM the following day, Saturday, 28 February. He was remanded in custody, set to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court later that morning. The Metropolitan Police also noted that San Giorgio was arrested on suspicion of supporting Palestine Action, a group proscribed under the Terrorism Act, adding another layer of complexity to the unfolding case.
The graffiti’s content left little doubt as to the protest’s intent. As Sky News reported, phrases like "Zionist war criminal" and "Stop the Genocide"—sprayed in vivid red—directly referenced the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and broader debates about the legacy of British foreign policy. The words "Never again is Now" and "Globalise the Intifada" echoed slogans seen at recent protests in Europe, underscoring the international resonance of these causes.
Responsibility for the act was quickly claimed by the Dutch group Free the Filton 24. In a video posted to Instagram, the group appeared to show the incident as it unfolded. Free the Filton 24 describes itself as a collective of "family and friends" supporting the 24 Palestine Action activists charged over a 2024 break-in at a UK facility of the Israeli defence firm Elbit. The group’s statement, as reported by National World, framed the graffiti as an act of solidarity and resistance, rather than wanton vandalism.
Police cordoned off the area around the statue as soon as the graffiti was discovered, and cleaning crews began work immediately. A spokesperson for the Greater London Authority condemned the act, stating, "We are appalled by this vandalism to the statue of Sir Winston Churchill and work is under way to remove the graffiti as quickly as possible." Downing Street was even more forceful, with a Number 10 spokesperson declaring, "Churchill was a great Briton. This Government will always stand up for our values and the perpetrator must be held to account." Both statements, cited by National World, reflected the deep symbolic significance that Churchill’s image holds for many in Britain.
San Giorgio’s first court appearance came swiftly. As detailed by the BBC, he appeared briefly at Westminster Magistrates’ Court via video-link on Saturday, 28 February. However, proceedings were quickly adjourned to Monday, 2 March, so that a Dutch interpreter could be provided. During the short hearing, San Giorgio did not confirm his identity when asked—a detail that added a note of tension and uncertainty to the proceedings.
The Churchill statue itself is no stranger to controversy or protest. Created by sculptor Ivor Roberts-Jones, the 12-foot (3.6-meter) monument was unveiled in 1973 by Lady Churchill, the wartime leader’s widow. Over the decades, it has become both a symbol of national pride and a lightning rod for criticism. As BBC and Sky News recall, the statue has been vandalised numerous times. During the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020, graffiti accusing Churchill of racism appeared on the plinth. Later that year, an Extinction Rebellion activist was ordered to pay over £1,500 for painting "racist" on the statue during a climate protest. These incidents have fueled ongoing debates about how Britain remembers its historical figures—and whose voices are heard in public spaces.
For some, the Churchill statue represents the nation’s resilience and leadership during World War II. For others, it stands as a reminder of a more complicated legacy, including controversial decisions made during his tenure as Prime Minister. The latest act of graffiti, with its explicit references to current geopolitical conflicts, underscores how statues can become proxies for broader social and political struggles.
The inclusion of slogans like "Globalise the Intifada" has attracted particular scrutiny. Both the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police have previously stated that anyone found using this phrase could face arrest, given its association with incitement and its adoption by groups such as Palestine Action. The arrest of San Giorgio on suspicion of supporting a proscribed organisation highlights the government’s determination to clamp down on what it views as extremist activity, even as civil liberties groups warn about the risks of overreach.
The involvement of Free the Filton 24 and the reference to Palestine Action connect the Churchill statue incident to a wider network of protest and activism. Palestine Action has been at the forefront of direct actions targeting firms linked to the Israeli defence industry, arguing that such tactics are necessary to draw attention to what they see as complicity in alleged war crimes. Critics, however, argue that such methods cross the line into criminality and risk alienating potential supporters.
Public reaction to the vandalism has been predictably divided. Some see it as an unacceptable attack on a national monument and an affront to British values. Others view it as a necessary act of protest, drawing attention to issues that might otherwise be ignored. The fact that the perpetrator, San Giorgio, has no fixed address and required a Dutch interpreter in court adds to the sense that this is not a simple story of law and order, but one that touches on questions of identity, belonging, and the limits of dissent.
As cleaning crews worked to restore the Churchill statue to its original state, the incident reignited a familiar debate: How should societies remember their heroes, and what forms of protest are legitimate in the face of perceived injustice? The answers, as ever, remain deeply contested. For now, the eyes of London—and indeed, much of the world—remain fixed on Parliament Square, where the past and present continue to collide in sometimes unpredictable ways.
With the legal process ongoing and public opinion sharply divided, the Churchill statue stands once again at the crossroads of history and protest, its bronze surface temporarily marked by the passions of the present day.