A Pro-Palestinian group has claimed responsibility for vandalising the BBC’s Broadcasting House headquarters with red paint over its coverage of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Palestine Action accused the broadcaster of having “blood on it hands” after staging the protest in London in the early hours of Saturday morning.
Presenter Victoria Derbyshire posted images and footage of the scene in the capital showing the daubed revolving glass doors and pale stone brickwork at Portland Place as she arrived for work.
The BBC has faced criticism in recent days for maintaining its editorial stance not to describe Hamas militants as terrorists.
Palestine Action posted on X, formerly Twitter: “Palestine Action left a message overnight for the @BBC: spreading the occupation’s lies and manufacturing consent for israel’s war crimes means that you have Palestinian blood on your hands”.
In a further statement, the group accused the BBC of being complicit in “manufacturing consent for the occupation’s genocide of Palestinians”.
It accused the BBC of only ever inviting Palestinians to comment when Israelis are killed, with little regard for Palestinians killed by Israel.
A spokesperson for Palestine Action said: “We at Palestine Action cannot stand by and let Western media justify and manufacture consent for genocide through racist, callous coverage.”
Hundreds of protesters later gathered outside the media headquarters in London which was the starting point for a major pro-Palestinian march in the capital.
Palestine flags and supportive placards were waved as people chanted, with Metropolitan Police and community support officers stationed nearby.
More than 1,00 officers were deployed to police the thousands demonstrating in a show of solidarity with Palestine amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
The Portland Place piazza was closed off, with metal barriers in place behind yellow ‘cleaning in progress’ warning signs.
Large brooms could be seen leaning against the glass doors, with the paint spread over the pavement and stonework.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: “We are aware of criminal damage to a building in Portland Place, W1A.”
BBC radio presenter and DJ Edward Adoo tweeted on Saturday morning: “Just got to the BBC the main entrance is blocked someone sprayed red paint at the entrance.
“Regardless of your view on what’s going on this is not the way. Props to the security team on duty tonight.”
The same group squirted tomato ketchup on a statute of former prime minister Arthur Balfour in the House of Parliament last November.
Lord Balfour was behind the Balfour Declaration – a 1917 document which pledged the formation of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.
The BBC declined to comment, saying it was a matter for the Met Police.
