Pro-Palestinian activists target UK offices of Germany's Allianz

LONDON (Reuters) -Pro-Palestinian activists targeted the British offices of German financial services firm Allianz on Tuesday, daubing the outside with red paint in protest over the company's links to Israeli defence firm Elbit Systems.

Palestine Action claimed responsibility for the protest on social media platform X, and said demonstrators had attacked 10 Allianz offices in the UK and "occupied" the insurer's UK headquarters in Guildford, south of London, overnight.

"Without insurance, Elbit couldn't operate in Britain," Palestine Action said in its post, describing Allianz as "investors and insurers of Israel's biggest weapons firm".

An Allianz spokesperson confirmed disruption at several of the company's offices.

"The safety and security of our colleagues is paramount and we have closed these sites today. Our operations and service to customers and clients are unaffected," the spokesperson added, declining further comment because it is an ongoing police matter.

Police said officers were called at 4 a.m. (0300 GMT) to reports of red paint being sprayed onto two buildings in London's City financial district. They arrested a 19-year-old man on suspicion of criminal damage following a foot chase.

Authorities also cordoned off Allianz Commercial's office in the City after the vandalism, which coincides with the first anniversary of the start of the Gaza war, triggered by Palestinian militant group Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

In addition to urging customers to boycott certain financial firms, demonstrators have expanded protests to include defacing buildings using red paint to symbolise the bloodshed in Gaza.

Allianz is the latest global financial company to have suffered such vandalism. British lender Barclays has also been a target for pro-Palestinian protesters.

They have also repeatedly targeted Elbit Systems UK and other defence firms in Britain linked to Israel. In August, seven people were charged with burglary and violent disorder at a warehouse linked to Elbit near Bristol, southwest England.

(Reporting by Sinead Cruise, additional reporting by Sachin Ravikumar and Sam Tobin; Editing by Susan Fenton, Mark Potter and Barbara Lewis)