Following a breach at RAF Brize Norton by Palestine Action activists who vandalised two Voyager aircraft with red paint, four suspects were arrested under terrorism laws. The government plans to proscribe the group amid escalating security concerns and political debate.
Four individuals have been arrested by British counter-terrorism police following a break-in at RAF Brize Norton, the UK’s largest Royal Air Force base, during which two Voyager aircraft were vandalized with red paint. The incident occurred last week when pro-Palestinian activists from the group Palestine Action infiltrated the base on electric scooters and used repurposed fire extinguishers to spray paint inside the jet engines, symbolising bloodshed in Gaza. Additional damage was caused with crowbars, and a Palestinian flag was left at the scene. Despite extensive security measures at the base, including a perimeter fence, cameras, sensors, and manned checkpoints, the activists managed to access the runway area without being caught at the time.
The four arrested include two men aged 24 and 36 from London and a 29-year-old woman, all suspected of preparing or instigating acts of terrorism under Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000. A 41-year-old woman was also apprehended on suspicion of assisting an offender. All four remain in custody as investigations continue. According to a police statement, the total damage caused to the aircraft is estimated to run into millions of pounds.
The pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action took responsibility for the attack, which they say was a protest against what they describe as the UK government’s support for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East. The group has a history of high-profile direct actions, including targeting arms companies and vandalizing a Trump-owned golf resort in Scotland. In particular, the aircraft targeted at Brize Norton are used for refuelling RAF jets engaged in international military efforts, though the Ministry of Defence has clarified that the Voyagers involved had not been used to support Israeli Air Force jets.
Following the break-in, the UK government announced plans to proscribe Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000. The Home Secretary is preparing to present a draft order to Parliament, which would criminalize membership or support of the group, potentially carrying penalties of up to 14 years in prison. This move aligns Palestine Action alongside approximately 80 other proscribed organisations, including Hamas, al-Qaida, and far-right extremist groups. The announcement has sparked widespread debate, with some politicians, celebrities, and members of the public opposing the ban. Protests against the government’s decision led to 13 arrests and seven charges by the Metropolitan Police.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the break-in as a “disgraceful act of vandalism,” while Defence Secretary John Healey described the incident as “really disturbing,” ordering a security review across all UK military facilities. A defence source acknowledged that while extensive security protocols are in place at RAF Brize Norton, complete coverage is challenging given the size of the base. Labour minister for UK security and former head of the Royal Navy, Lord West, said the breach was “extremely worrying” for national security, and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the incident “deeply concerning.”
The government’s resolve to strengthen security measures and criminalize the group’s activities marks a stern response to an event that exposed vulnerabilities in military base protection amid rising geopolitical tensions and contentious public debates over the UK’s role in Middle Eastern conflicts.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cq6m79n6q65o – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://apnews.com/article/37d446042bfe9796fe6917da1ae4f21a – British counter-terrorism police have arrested four individuals in connection with a break-in at the Royal Air Force base in Brize Norton last week, where two aircraft were vandalized with red paint. Among those arrested are two men, aged 24 and 36 from London, and a 29-year-old woman, all suspected of preparing or instigating acts of terrorism. A 41-year-old woman was also arrested for allegedly assisting an offender. The pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the act, releasing footage of a protester spraying paint into a jet’s turbine. The group accuses the UK of supporting military operations in Gaza and the Middle East and has carried out previous high-profile protests, including vandalizing a Trump-owned golf resort in Scotland. In response, the UK government announced plans to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism legislation, which would criminalize membership or support of the group with penalties of up to 14 years in prison. The proposed ban is set to be presented to Parliament for approval. The UK currently has around 80 proscribed organizations under its terrorism laws, including Hamas, al-Qaida, and far-right extremist groups.
- https://www.ft.com/content/e1542032-6185-4146-abd8-5d0b7d493f84 – UK counterterrorism police arrested four individuals following a break-in at RAF Brize Norton, the country’s largest air force base. The incident involved members of the pro-Palestinian group Palestine Action, who infiltrated the base using electric scooters and vandalized Voyager aircraft with red paint to protest the UK government’s support for Israel’s actions in Gaza. Among those arrested were three suspects—two men (ages 36 and 24) and a 29-year-old woman—on terrorism-related charges, as well as a 41-year-old woman suspected of assisting them. All remain in custody. The Ministry of Defence has initiated a security review across UK military facilities. In response, the UK government plans to classify Palestine Action as a terrorist organization under the Terrorism Act 2000, with a draft order to be presented to Parliament on June 30. This measure, which criminalizes support for the group, prompted objections from politicians, celebrities, and the public. Protests against the ban led to 13 arrests and seven charges by the Metropolitan Police. Palestine Action maintains its actions are non-violent protests targeting the UK’s role in arming Israel.
- https://www.itv.com/news/2025-06-20/government-to-ban-palestine-action-after-group-vandalises-raf-planes – The Palestine Action group that vandalised two aircraft at an RAF base in Oxfordshire will be banned by the home secretary, ITV News understands. Two Palestine Action activists broke into RAF Brize Norton in Carterton, Oxfordshire, on e-scooters and sprayed red paint on two planes. The group said the incident took place due to flights departing daily from the base to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus – “a base used for military operations in Gaza and across the Middle East”. They had repurposed fire extinguishers to spray red paint, which they say symbolises the “bloodshed” in Gaza, into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyagers and caused further damage using crowbars. Paint was also sprayed across the runway, and a Palestinian flag was left on the scene. Palestine Action said the pair involved in the incident were not apprehended by security. The prime minister and numerous other politicians condemned their stunt as “disgraceful”. The government has also launched a full review of security at RAF Brize Norton. The incident is being investigated by counter terror police.
- https://feeds.bbci.co.uk/news/articles/cx24nppdx0lo – A security review has been launched across UK military bases after pro-Palestinian activists broke into RAF Brize Norton and sprayed two military planes with red paint. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer condemned the action as “disgraceful”, saying it was an “act of vandalism”. Footage posted online by Palestine Action on Friday showed two people inside the Oxfordshire airbase in darkness, with one riding on a scooter up to an Airbus Voyager and spraying paint into its jet engine. South East counter terrorism police later confirmed its specialist officers were investigating the incident alongside Thames Valley Police and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Downing Street said the incident had not blocked any planned aircraft movements or stopped any operations. Defence Secretary John Healey said he was “really disturbed” by the incident and had ordered an investigation and the wider security review. The base is encircled by a large perimeter fence, with security camera and sensors in the area in addition to manned security checkpoints. Patrols around the base are also carried out from time to time. But a defence source said these measures would not have been able to provide complete cover around the large airbase. Palestine Action has engaged in similar activity since the start of the current war in Gaza, predominantly targeting arms companies. In May, it claimed responsibility for the daubing of a US military plane in Ireland. The group said the activists who entered RAF Brize Norton used repurposed fire extinguishers to spray the paint and caused “further damage” using crowbars. However, Downing Street said the incident had not blocked any planned aircraft movements or stopped any operations. The MoD told the BBC that RAF Voyager aircraft had not been involved in refuelling or supporting Israeli Air Force jets. A spokesman said Voyagers have been used in the Middle East to refuel RAF Typhoon jets involved in the ongoing international efforts to tackle the so-called Islamic State group in eastern Iraq and Syria. They have also been used in the Red Sea in the past in operations against Yemen’s Houthi rebels. Lord West, Labour minister for UK security and former head of the Royal Navy, said earlier that while he was not aware of the full details, the break-in was “extremely worrying”. “We can’t allow thing like this to happen at all,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, adding that breaches like it were “really a problem” for national security. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the security breach was “deeply concerning”.
- https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/uk/2025/06/27/arrests-terror-palestine-action-brize-norton-air-base/ – A 29-year-old woman and two men, aged 36 and 24, were arrested on suspicion of a terrorist offence, police said. A fourth person was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender. The Voyager aircraft were damaged at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire last Friday in an incident claimed by activists Palestine Action. The group released footage of campaigners who had broken into the defence site using electric scooters to travel across the airfield, before using modified fire extinguishers to spray paint inside the two planes. A crowbar was also used. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the cost of the damage ran into “millions of pounds” and has since unveiled plans to proscribe Palestine Action. Armed forces minister Luke Pollard described the “illegal entry and criminal vandalism” as “disgraceful and epically stupid”. A police statement said the three arrests were “on suspicion of the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism, contrary to Section 41 of the Terrorism Act 2000”. It also disclosed that a 41-year-old woman, of no fixed abode, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative is current, with the earliest known publication date being June 27, 2025. The incident occurred last week, and the arrests were reported on June 27, 2025. The narrative has not been republished across low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The content is based on a recent press release, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were found. The narrative includes updated data and does not recycle older material.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The direct quotes from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Defence Secretary John Healey are unique to this narrative. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating potentially original or exclusive content. No variations in quote wording were found.
Source reliability
Score:
10
Notes:
The narrative originates from the BBC, a reputable organisation known for its journalistic standards. This strengthens the credibility of the report.
Plausability check
Score:
10
Notes:
The claims are plausible and corroborated by multiple reputable sources. The incident has been widely reported, including by the Associated Press and the Financial Times. The narrative provides specific factual anchors, including names, institutions, and dates. The language and tone are consistent with UK English and appropriate for the topic. There is no excessive or off-topic detail, and the tone is formal and appropriate for a news report.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): HIGH
Summary:
The narrative is current, original, and sourced from a reputable organisation. The claims are plausible and corroborated by multiple reputable sources, with no discrepancies or signs of disinformation. The language and tone are appropriate, and the narrative provides specific factual anchors. No credibility risks were identified.
