Twickenham Stadium has been plastered with ‘blood red’ paint as part of a pro-Palestine protest at the home of English rugby.
The venue is hosting the three-day International Armoured Vehicles conference this week.
But the event, led by resources firm Defence IQ, attracted protests from pro-Palestine groups with Israel’s largest weapons company, Elbit Systems Ltd, one of the attendees.
Palestine Action have claimed responsibility for the protests outside the venue and for painting the stadium red.
Twickenham Stadium was plastered with red paint
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Protestors painted the phrase “Free Gaza” on the wall with paint-filled fire extinguishers also being used around the venue.
Hundreds of protestors then descended on Twickenham Stadium shouting “RFU is covered in Palestinian blood”.
The Met Police confirmed it was investigating the protest after first being called at 1.20am.
A police statement read: “It was reported that four people were seen running away from the scene.
“There have been no arrests. Enquiries are ongoing.”
According to the Telegraph, some protestors clashed with police as they tried to accost some people entering the building as part of the conference.
A Palestine Action spokesperson said: “That Israeli arms dealers are invited as guests of honour at a time when their deadly output is on full show in the Gaza genocide should shame all people who enter this abominable event.
“After developing their weaponry in the Laboratory of Palestine, Elbit and Rafael then sell these technologies on to other regimes.
Hundreds of protestors gathered outside the stadium
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“While our governments happily turn a blind eye to this brutality, Palestine Action will continue to work to make sure that Israeli war criminals have nowhere to hide.”
The RFU have been reached for comment on the protests outside of Twickenham Stadium.
It’s not the first time Twickenham Stadium has been targeted by activists as the Gallagher Premiership rugby union final was disrupted by Just Stop Oil protestors last year.
The two activists invaded the pitch and threw orange paint while the match between Saracens and Sale was ongoing.
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Protestors took aim at the RFU
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England flanker Tom Curry famously helped drag one of the protestors off the pitch by grabbing his leg.
Sale captain Jono Ross also had to be restrained from confronting the other man who entered the pitch.
He said after the final, which was also his last game before retiring: “I don’t agree with what they do. I don’t agree with it at all. It is completely against everything I believe in.
“Then to come into sporting events and ruin sporting events week in week out, I don’t agree with it. I don’t agree with what they stand for.”
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