Pro-Palestinian activists break into RAF base and 'vandalise' aircraft
Why you can trust Sky News
A pro-Palestinian group has targeted an RAF base and damaged two military aircraft in what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) branded an act of "vandalism".
Palestine Action posted on X to say it had broken into RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.
In a video shared online, a person can be seen approaching an aircraft on a scooter as music is played. Red paint can be seen on the ground.
The MoD said: "We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets. We are working closely with the police who are investigating.
"Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain. They put their lives on the line for us, and their display of duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice are an inspiration to us all. It is our responsibility to support those who defend us."
Please refresh the page for the latest version.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Pro-Palestinian activists break into RAF base and vandalise planes
Footage posted online by Palestine Action on Friday morning shows two people inside RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. The clip show one person riding an electric scooter up to an Airbus Voyager air-to-air refuelling tanker and appearing to spray paint into its jet engine. The incident was condemned by the Ministry of Defence who said the vandalism was being investigated by police. The Prime Minister called it 'disgraceful'. A spokesman for the campaign group said: 'Despite publicly condemning the Israeli Government, Britain continues to send military cargo, fly spy planes over Gaza and refuel US/Israeli fighter jets. 'Britain isn't just complicit, it's an active participant in the Gaza genocide and war crimes across the Middle East. 'By decommissioning two military planes, Palestine Action have directly intervened in the genocide and prevented crimes against the Palestinian people.' RAF Brize Norton serves as the hub for UK strategic air transport and refuelling, including flights to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: 'We strongly condemn this vandalism of Royal Air Force assets. We are working closely with the police who are investigating. 'Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain. 'They put their lives on the line for us, and their display of duty, dedication and selfless personal sacrifice are an inspiration to us all. 'It is our responsibility to support those who defend us.' The act of vandalism committed at RAF Brize Norton is disgraceful. Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain and put their lives on the line for us every day. It is our responsibility to support those who defend us. — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) June 20, 2025 Sir Keir Starmer said in a post on X: 'The act of vandalism committed at RAF Brize Norton is disgraceful. 'Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain and put their lives on the line for us every day. 'It is our responsibility to support those who defend us.' A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: 'We have received a report of people gaining access to RAF Brize Norton and causing criminal damage. 'An investigation has been launched and we are working with the Ministry of Defence Police and partners at RAF Brize Norton. 'Inquiries are ongoing to locate and arrest those responsible.'
Sky News
an hour ago
- Sky News
'Absolutely staggering' security breach at RAF base - as activists break in and vandalise aircraft
Sir Keir Starmer has condemned pro-Palestinian activists who broke into a RAF base in Oxfordshire as "disgraceful". Palestine Action targeted RAF Brize Norton and damaged two military aircraft in what the Ministry of Defence (MoD) branded an act of "vandalism". The pro-Palestinian group posted on X to say it had broken into the site - the largest RAF station with approximately 5,800 service personnel, 300 civilian staff and 1,200 contractors. In a video shared online, a person can be seen approaching an aircraft on a scooter as music is played. Red paint can be seen on the ground. In a post on X, the prime minister branded the breach an "act of vandalism" and "disgraceful". "Our Armed Forces represent the very best of Britain and put their lives on the line for us every day. It is our responsibility to support those who defend us," he added. The MoD also condemned the group's actions, adding: "We are working closely with the police who are investigating." In a statement, Palestine Action - which focuses its campaigns on multinational arms dealers and has previously targeted corporate banks - said it had damaged two military planes at the RAF base, where flights depart on a daily basis for RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. The UK has two military bases on the island of Cyprus, a legacy of its former status as a British colony. When it gained independence from Britain in 1960, it was agreed that Britain would maintain two "sovereign base areas" at Akrotiri in the south west and Dhekelia in the south east. Aircraft based at Akrotiri include RAF Typhoons, which were used last year in strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen, as well as Puma helicopters. The group said two activists "broke into the largest air force base in Britain and used electric scooters to swiftly manoeuvre towards the planes". They said repurposed fire extinguishers were used to spray red paint into the turbine engines of two Airbus Voyagers, while further damage was made using crowbars. "Red paint, symbolising Palestinian bloodshed was also sprayed across the runway and a Palestine flag was left on the scene," the statement added. "Both activists managed to evade security and arrest." Work is under way to assess whether any damage has been caused, it is understood. No operations or planned movements are thought to have been affected. A senior RAF source told Sky News: "The claims made by the group who broke into RAF Brize Norton show a complete lack of understanding of how the RAF operates and what these aircraft do. "The UK is not supporting Israeli operations and these aircraft have not been used in support of Israeli forces in any shape or form." Ben Obese-Jecty, a Liberal Democrat MP and former army officer, said the breach at Brize Norton was "absolutely staggering". "Given the current heightened global tensions, the increase in activity and the recent exploitation of the vulnerability of Russian airbases by Ukraine, it is incredible that our busiest RAF base could be compromised," he said.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Tax hike fears mount after government borrowing jumps in May
Fears the Chancellor will raise taxes in the autumn have been fuelled after official figures showed the highest May government borrowing outside the pandemic despite a tax boost from the national insurance hike. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said borrowing surged to £17.7 billion last month, the second highest figure on record for May, surpassed only at the height of Covid. May borrowing was £700 million higher than a year earlier, though it was slightly less than the £18 billion most economists had been expecting. The higher borrowing came in spite of a surge in the tax take from national insurance after Chancellor Rachel Reeves increased employer contributions in April. The decision, which was announced in last autumn's budget, has seen wage costs soar for firms across the UK as they also faced a minimum wage rise in the same month. Experts warned the higher borrowing figures raised the chances of tax hikes to come in the budget later this year, with Ms Reeves under pressure to balance the books amid rising borrowing and her spending commitments. Thomas Pugh, economist at audit and consulting firm RSM UK, said he is pencilling in tax increases of between £10 billion and £20 billion. He said: 'The under-performance of the economy and higher borrowing costs mean the Chancellor may already have lost the £9.9 billion of fiscal headroom that she clawed back in March. 'Throw in the tough outlook for many Government departments announced in the spending review and U-turns on welfare spending and the Chancellor will probably have to announce some top-up tax increases after the summer.' Danni Hewson, AJ Bell head of financial analysis, said the borrowing figures 'will only add to speculation that the Chancellor will have to announce more spending cuts or further tax increases at the next budget if she wants to meet her fiscal rules and pay for her spending plans'. 'One big shock could wipe out any headroom Rachel Reeves might have, and there are still question marks about how much of GDP (gross domestic product) should be spent on defence and where the money is going to come from,' she added. Borrowing for the first two months of the financial year to date was £37.7 billion, £1.6 billion more than the same two-month period in 2024, according to the ONS. The data showed so-called compulsory social contributions, largely made up of national insurance contributions (NICs), jumped by £3.9 billion or 14.7% to a record £30.2 billion in April and May combined. Rob Doody, deputy director for public sector finances, said: 'While receipts were up, thanks partly to higher income tax revenue and national insurance contributions, spending was up more, affected by increased running costs and inflation-linked uplifts to many benefits.' While May's borrowing out-turn was lower than economists were expecting, it was more than the £17.1 billion pencilled in by the UK's independent fiscal watchdog, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), in March. The figures showed that central government tax receipts in May increased by £3.5 billion to £61.7 billion, while higher NICs saw social contributions rise by £1.8 billion to £15.1 billion last month alone. Public sector net debt, excluding public sector banks, stood at £2.87 trillion at the end of May and was estimated at 96.4% of GDP, which was 0.5 percentage points higher than a year earlier and remains at levels last seen in the early 1960s. The ONS said the sale of the final tranche of taxpayer shares in NatWest, formerly Royal Bank of Scotland, cut net debt by £800 million last month, but did not have an impact on borrowing in the month. Interest payments on debt, which are linked to inflation, fell £700 million to £7.6 million due to previous falls in the Retail Prices Index (RPI). But recent rises in RPI are expected to see debt interest payments race higher in June. Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones insisted the Government had 'stabilised the economy and the public finances'. 'Since taking office, we have taken the right decisions to protect working people, begin repairing the NHS, and fix the foundations to rebuild Britain,' he said.
