Nederlandse activist beschadigt Churchill-standbeeld in Londen
Londen, vrijdag, 27 februari 2026.
Een 38-jarige Nederlandse man, Olax Outis, heeft het standbeeld van Winston Churchill in Parliament Square bespoten. Hij schreef ‘zionistische oorlogsmisdadiger’ en ‘free palestine’ in rode verf. Outis is lid van de actiegroep Free the Filton 24. De groep claimt de daad te hebben gepleegd uit protest tegen mensrechtenschendingen. Het standbeeld werd snel afgesloten door de Metropolitan Police. Outis zegt dat hij handelde namens Den Haag. Volgens hem moet de Britse regering verantwoording afleggen bij het Internationaal Gerechtshof. De actie raakt een gevoelige snaar vanwege Churchills rol in de Tweede Wereldoorlog. Mensenrechtenactivisten reageren fel. De groep waarschuwt dat dit niet hun laatste actie is.
incident in london
In London, a 38-year-old Dutch man, Olax Outis, defaced the Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square early on Friday, 27 February 2026. He spray-painted red graffiti reading ‘Zionist war criminal,’ ‘Stop the Genocide,’ ‘Free Palestine,’ ‘Never again is Now,’ and ‘Globalise the Intifada’ on the bronze monument [1]. The act sparked immediate condemnation and a swift intervention by the Metropolitan Police, who arrested Outis at the scene on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage [2]. The statue, a Grade II-listed structure, was quickly cordoned off [3].
perpetrator and motive
Olax Outis identified himself as a member of the Dutch activist group Free the Filton 24, which claimed responsibility for the vandalism via an Instagram post [1]. In a statement, Outis declared he acted ‘to draw attention to the horrible human rights violations happening in a country that’s run by colonisers who refuse to listen to their people’ [2]. He further asserted that, as a representative of The Hague, his action held the British government accountable, demanding they face justice at the International Court of Justice [2]. His remarks linked the protest directly to ongoing geopolitical conflicts.
group background and claims
Free the Filton 24 describes itself as a collective of family and friends supporting 24 Palestine Action activists charged in 2024 over a break-in at Elbit Systems UK [1]. The group posted a video online showing a person in red coveralls, consistent with Outis, conducting the act [2]. They compared Churchill to contemporary UK leaders, suggesting similar political failings [3]. The group issued a broader call to action, stating ‘Clean up your shit!’ and warning authorities, ‘We aren’t done yet. This isn’t over’ [3]. Their statements emphasized continued resistance.
political and historical resonance
The choice of the Churchill statue carries significant weight due to his leadership during World War II and the monument’s symbolic value [1]. Officials reacted strongly, with a Downing Street spokesperson calling the act ‘completely abhorrent’ and affirming Churchill’s legacy as a ‘great Briton’ [1]. The Jewish Leadership Council criticized the attack as combining antisemitism with disdain for Britain [1]. Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, lamented the defacement of a champion of liberty, noting the perversion of Zionism’s meaning [1].
legal and security implications
The Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest shortly after 04:00 hrs and classified the offense as racially aggravated criminal damage [3]. Heritage wardens began cleaning the statue the same morning [3]. This incident occurs amid heightened sensitivity following previous warnings by UK police about extremist chants [3]. Recent events, including attacks in Manchester and Sydney, have shaped law enforcement approaches [3]. Notably, fifteen Dutch nationals were separately arrested multiple times for displaying pro-Palestine signs, highlighting escalating tensions around free speech and protest laws [3].