London (PA Media/dpa): A 38-year-old man has been arrested after the statue of Winston Churchill in London was defaced with graffiti branding the former prime minister a "Zionist war criminal." Other phrases including "Stop the Genocide" and "Free Palestine" were sprayed in red paint on the bronze sculpture in Parliament Square, central London. A Met Police spokesperson said: "Shortly after 4 am [0400 GMT] on Friday February 27 a man was seen spraying graffiti on the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square. "Churchill is but a symbol of the same political corruption.”The statue has been cordoned off and was being cleaned on Friday morning. "We’re glad the police have made an arrest.”The former prime minister’s statue has been vandalised several times in the past, including during protests.

Source: The Star February 27, 2026 21:55 UTC