Pro-Palestinian Protestors Seize Sculptures of Israel’s First President from UK University

In a bold protest marking the 107th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, pro-Palestinian activist group Palestine Action reportedly removed two sculptures of Israel’s first president, Chaim Weizmann, from the University of Manchester.

Greater Manchester Police confirmed on Sunday that they are investigating the incident as a potential burglary, with reports indicating it occurred around 11:55 p.m. on Friday.

“Today, Palestine Action marked 107 years since the Balfour Declaration by taking two sculptures of Israel’s first president, Chaim Weizmann, from its display case at the University of Manchester,” the group stated in a press release.

The local Jewish Representative Council of Greater Manchester and Region condemned the act on social media, asserting that activists from Palestine Action “broke into the University, smashed the case, and stole the statue of Weizmann.” The group also called on authorities and the Home Secretary to take firm action, advocating for Palestine Action to be fully proscribed as a recognized unlawful organization.

The protest coincided with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, a 1917 letter by then-UK Foreign Minister Arthur Balfour, which advocated for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine. The declaration, addressed to British politician and Jewish homeland advocate Walter Rothschild, was officially endorsed and published by the British government on November 2, 1917.

Beyond the incident at the University of Manchester, Palestine Action staged protests across other UK locations, spraying red paint on the London headquarters of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and the Britain Israel Communications and Research Center (BICOM). The group also collaborated with students from the University of Cambridge, Balfour’s alma mater, to spray paint the university’s Institute of Manufacturing and Senate House.

The police investigation remains ongoing as authorities review the incident and determine possible legal actions against those involved.