UK police search for pro-Palestinian activists over damage to two jets at RAF Brize Norton

Published connected 20/06/2025 - 14:17 GMT+2•Updated 18:36

Police successful nan United Kingdom are searching for suspects and nan subject is reviewing its information procedures aft pro-Palestinian activists collapsed into a Royal Air Force guidelines successful Oxfordshire and damaged 2 planes pinch reddish paint, officials said connected Friday.

The group Palestine Action said 2 members entered RAF Brize Norton, immoderate 110 kilometres westbound of London, connected Wednesday and utilized electrical scooters to attack nan Voyager jets, which are utilized for air-to-air refuelling.

The duo sprayed reddish overgarment into nan planes' turbine engines pinch repurposed occurrence extinguishers. They caused further harm pinch crowbars, according to nan group, which released video footage appearing to show an individual attack a pitchy and spray overgarment into nan engine.

The activists near nan guidelines without being detained, Palestine Action said.

The group said successful a connection that "despite publically condemning nan Israeli government, Britain continues to nonstop subject cargo, alert spy planes complete Gaza and refuel US/Israeli combatant jets."

The Ministry of Defence confirmed nan incident, saying: "We powerfully condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets."

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called nan vandalism "disgraceful" successful a station connected X.

Thames Valley Police said successful a connection that it had "received a study of group gaining entree to RAF Brize Norton and causing criminal damage."

Officers were moving pinch unit astatine nan guidelines and subject constabulary to apprehension nan perpetrators, nan unit said.

The authorities said 2 planes were being checked for harm and that nan vandalism had not stopped immoderate planned craft movements aliases operations.

"A afloat information reappraisal is underway astatine Brize Norton," Starmer's agency said. "We are reviewing information crossed nan full defence estate."

Planes from RAF Brize Norton regularly alert to RAF Akrotiri successful Cyprus, Britain's main aerial guidelines for operations successful nan Middle East.

The UK has sent much Typhoon combatant jets and Voyager tankers to Cyprus since the Israel-Iran conflict started a week agone for what Starmer called "contingency support."

Iran has threatened to onslaught US, French and British bases successful nan region if those countries thief Israel fend disconnected Iranian strikes.