Greenpeace UK Leader Will McCallum and Activists Arrested at US Embassy in London for Anti-Gaza War Protest

Will McCallum, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, and five other activists were arrested on April 10 after pouring 300 liters of red dye into a pond at the U.S. Embassy in London. The protest aimed to criticize U.S. arms sales to Israel amid the Gaza conflict. Greenpeace described the action as peaceful and symbolic, highlighting the human cost of the war. The activists were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and conspiracy to cause criminal damage. The U.S. Embassy condemned the act, citing environmental damage, which Greenpeace disputed.

Protest at the Embassy

At approximately 7:30 a.m. local time, Greenpeace UK activists arrived at the U.S. Embassy in Nine Elms, southwest London. According to the organization, 12 activists participated in the action, tipping containers of non-toxic, biodegradable, food-grade red dye into the embassy’s large pond. The containers were marked with the message “Stop Arming Israel” and were transported to the site using bicycles with trailers disguised as delivery bikes.

The dye turned the water a vivid red, which Greenpeace said was intended to symbolize the bloodshed in Gaza. The group emphasized that the dye posed no risk to people, wildlife, or the environment.

Activists wore Greenpeace-branded clothing and coordinated with embassy security to clarify that the protest was peaceful and posed no threat to the building or its personnel. The pond, which is part of a water feature surrounding the embassy, is accessible via a public footpath and lies outside the secure perimeter of the embassy grounds.

Arrests and Police Response

The Metropolitan Police confirmed that six individuals were arrested in connection with the protest. Officers on duty at the embassy observed the activists pouring dye into the pond and responded quickly, conducting a search of the surrounding area. The individuals were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and conspiracy to cause criminal damage.

“There was no breach or attempted breach of the secure perimeter of the site,” a police spokesperson said. “The pond is accessible via a public footpath.”

Initially, police reported five arrests, but later confirmed that six people had been taken into custody. Among them was Will McCallum, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK. He was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to cause criminal damage, a charge that can carry a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

Greenpeace’s Statement

Greenpeace UK defended the protest as a necessary act of civil disobedience in response to what it described as the U.S. government’s complicity in the Gaza conflict through continued arms sales to Israel.

“We took this action because U.S. weapons continue to fuel an indiscriminate war that's seen bombs dropped on schools and hospitals, entire neighborhoods blasted to rubble, and tens of thousands of Palestinian lives obliterated,” said Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, in a statement.

Hamid added that the protest was carefully planned and executed by trained activists, with all safety and security risks considered. “These arrests are further proof that the right to protest is under attack in the UK,” she said.

Greenpeace also noted that the organization has a long history of anti-war activism, including campaigns against the Iraq War, UK-Saudi arms deals, and Russian gas imports during the Ukraine conflict.

Embassy and Official Reactions

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in London acknowledged the protest and condemned the damage caused. “While the U.S. Embassy supports the right to peaceful protest, we strongly condemn any acts of violence or property damage,” the spokesperson said.

The embassy reported that the red dye had “damaged a 1.5 million gallon water supply on the property, wasting a local environmental resource.” Greenpeace disputed this characterization, reiterating that the dye used was environmentally safe and designed to disperse naturally.

The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Broader Context

The protest comes amid heightened international scrutiny of the war in Gaza, where thousands of civilians have been killed and infrastructure devastated. The U.S. remains the largest supplier of military aid to Israel, a point of contention for many human rights organizations and advocacy groups.

Greenpeace’s action at the embassy is part of a broader wave of global protests calling for a ceasefire and an end to arms sales to the region. The group said it resorted to this form of protest after other avenues of advocacy failed to yield results.

References

• Greenpeace U.K. boss arrested over protest at U.S. Embassy in London over support for Israel
• Greenpeace activists arrested in London after red dye poured into US Embassy pond
• Greenpeace UK boss arrested over US embassy dye protest
• Greenpeace UK co-head arrested for pouring red dye into US embassy pond
• Greenpeace UK leader arrested for targeting American embassy with ' blood-red dye’: report
• Israel-Gaza protest at the US embassy: what you need to know - Greenpeace UK