United Kingdom

A British court is allowing German insurance giant Allianz to pursue a civil lawsuit against pro-Palestine activists that could end up bankrupting them.

A criminal case is already under way against the activists, who conducted separate protests at Allianz’s offices in Guildford and London in 2024 and 2025.

The activists, known as the Allianz6, occupied the offices, spraying them in water-soluble red paint, which the insurance company said caused over £79,000 ($105,575) worth of damage.

The activists have branded this a “protest licence fee”, and it raised the total cost of the civil lawsuit to £289,604 plus legal costs, which they will have to defend themselves against before the criminal trials begin.

The increased demand came after they wrote to Allianz’s lawyers asking they wait for criminal proceedings to conclude before continuing their civil case.

One of the activists, community worker Seren John-Wood, told Middle East Eye they had targeted Allianz because they were an insurer for Israeli arms company Elbit Systems.

UK Green Party leader Zack Polanski has defended his support for imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti after being targeted by pro-Israel activists over a T-shirt bearing the slogan "Free Marwan", telling The New Arab that Barghouti was denied a fair trial and remains a symbol of Palestinian self-determination.

Polanski's comments came after pro-Israel activists launched a backlash against him on social media after photographs emerged showing him wearing a "Free Marwan" T-shirt, a reference to Barghouti, one of the most prominent Palestinian political figures of the past three decades.

The image was quickly seized upon by pro-Israel commentators, who sought to portray Polanski's support for Barghouti as an endorsement of violence.

"What really unsettles critics isn't the shirt. It's the idea that Palestinians might have a leader capable of uniting their people and leading the fight for liberation from apartheid the same way Nelson Mandela did," Polanski told The New Arab.

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Polanski called on the government to produce a real plan to boost UK food production and support customers struggling to afford groceries.

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