Four anti-Israel activists were arrested last Thursday over the theft and defacement of the busts of former Israeli president Chaim Weizmann and chemist Harold Baily Dixon at the University of Manchester in November, the Greater Manchester Police announced.

Two men and two women between the ages of 20 and 34 were arrested on suspicion of the  November 1 aggravated burglary by the Palestine Action activist group. Another 25-year-old man was arrested on November 8 and was released on bail.

“In Greater Manchester, we have always supported people’s democratic right to peaceful protest and have seen how people can bring their voices together in this way many times across the region.
“However, what we will not tolerate is those intent on committing criminal acts,” Detective Chief Inspector Jill Billington said in a statement.
“I hope today’s arrests, and our continued efforts to act where incidents have crossed over into criminality, provides our communities with reassurance on how seriously we are taking these and how swiftly we are prepared to deal with them,” Billington said.

The United Kingdom Jewish security organization Community Security Trust thanked law enforcement in a post on X/Twitter.

Greater Manchester Police arrest suspects in November 1 theft of Chaim Weizmann bust. (credit: Greater Manchester Police)
Greater Manchester Police arrest suspects in November 1 theft of Chaim Weizmann bust. (credit: Greater Manchester Police)
Palestine Action took credit for the burglary in a November 2 Instagram video showing masked individuals smashing a display at the University of Manchester’s chemistry facility.

“Weizmann is now under Palestine Action’s control,” the protest network said alongside a November 4 picture showing the busts dressed in keffiyehs.

In another video, the two busts were vandalized with the words “smash Zionism” painted on them. On November 8, the protest network revealed that they had beheaded the bust of Weizmann, declaring that the former president was “dead” and that “soon, his Zionist project will be too!”

The Greater Manchester Police said that Palestine Action had claimed responsibility for a series of significant criminal offenses across the region against companies supposedly linked to Israeli defense company Elbit.These incidents included buildings sprayed with paint, staff threatened, damage caused to property, and the activists locking themselves onto structures.

Arrests made 

“We’ve so far made 32 arrests linked with 28 targeted incidents across Greater Manchester between 9 October 2023 and 1 November 2024. Nine people have been charged,” said Billington.
“Many of these incidents have caused upset within communities, and impacted people trying to go about their everyday lives,” she continued.
Two Palestine Action activists were found guilty of two vandalism incidents in the Manchester region, according to the group.
From December 2-3, one activist was fined 740 pounds by the Manchester Magistrates Court for unfurling Palestinian flags off the office buildings of Fisher German in November 2023. The same activist and his codefendant were found guilty of criminal damages in a 2021 incident, in a case tried from December 4-6 at the Minshull Street Crown Court, said Palestine Action.
“I walked into court today not guilty and will leave Friday, not guilty, regardless of the judge’s decision,” one of the vandals said according to Palestine Action. “As long as we are shutting down Israeli arms factories, and their partners, we will never be guilty.”

Palestine Action has received increased scrutiny for its years of vandalism ever since Baron Walney’s (John Woodcock’s) political violence report was released on May 21.