Pro-Palestine protesters climb Sheffield town hall to remove Israeli flag

Two protesters scaled the 60 metre-tall Sheffield town hall to replace the Israeli flag with a Palestinian flag during a pro-Palestine protest on Tuesday. 

Footage shared by Sheffield Online shows a man climbing across the roof to remove the Israeli flag before throwing it below to many demonstrators who were watching.  

South Yorkshire Police released a statement saying that two men had scaled the building on Tuesday evening but adding that no arrests had been made. It said that enquiries were “ongoing”. 

Sheffield Council followed orders from the British government and flew the Israeli flag today as it bombed Gaza.

A protestor climbed the council building and replaced it with the Palestinian flag. pic.twitter.com/c7dS00LES5

— Lowkey (@Lowkey0nline) October 10, 2023

“It is believed that two men climbed onto the roof of the building and removed the flag that was being flown. During officers' attendance and their attempts to disperse the crowds, minor disorder led to the two suspects fleeing the scene,”  the statement said.

Tom Hunt, Sheffield’s Council Leader, responded to the removal of the Israeli flag, saying that he ‘cannot support the events that took place’ and claimed that the two men ‘put themselves and others in serious danger’. 

Over 5,000 people gathered on the streets of London to protest against Israeli apartheid and express support for Palestinians last night. Full story ⬇ https://t.co/93nRSLRwvF

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) October 10, 2023

Hunt added, “We call for peace and an end to attacks on innocent men, women and children in Israel and Palestine.” 

Since the incident, the UK's Union Jack flag has returned to the top of the Sheffield town hall.

Alexi Dimond, Sheffield-based Green Party councillor, criticised the decision to fly the flag on X, “Sheffield Council is flying the flag of an apartheid regime conducting a genocidal campaign against a captive civilian population, ⅔ of whom are refugees & ½ of whom are children.  

He added, “Israel has cut off water, food & medicine to Gaza. The Council is supporting war crimes.” 

#Sheffield Council is flying the flag of an apartheid regime conducting a genocidal campaign against a captive civilian population, ⅔ of whom are refugees & ½ of whom are children.

Israel has cut off water, food & medicine to #Gaza.

The Council is supporting war crimes. pic.twitter.com/x4ruVxl9qP

— /ə'leksi 'daɪmənd/🇵🇸 (@AlexiDimond) October 10, 2023

The news came as Home Secretary Suella Braverman compared flying the Palestinian flag to "inciting racial hatred".

Braverman sent a letter to police chief constables in England and Wales yesterday stating that certain Palestinian symbols and chants ‘are cause for concern’ and can be linked as ‘pro-Hamas’.