Police Drop Case Against Palestine Action Activist in Lord Balfour Portrait Vandalism

British police have formally closed their investigation into the vandalism of a 1914 portrait of Lord Balfour at Trinity College, Cambridge, last year, without making any arrests. The decision has drawn criticism, particularly given that the incident, which occurred on March 8, 2024, was captured on video and Palestine Action openly claimed responsibility. Cambridgeshire Police stated that a "thorough investigation was carried out but the investigation has now been filed pending any new information coming to light.

The incident involved an activist slashing and defacing the historic painting of Lord Arthur James Balfour with red paint. Footage shared by Palestine Action showed the individual spraying the portrait before cutting the canvas with a sharp object. Trinity College, part of the University of Cambridge, condemned the act, stating it "continues to condemn this act of vandalism in the strongest terms" and would cooperate with police if further evidence emerged.

The police's decision to drop the case has been met with significant backlash. As stated in the tweet, "No charges. No accountability. A deliberate attack on history met with silence." Critics, including politicians, have questioned the lack of arrests despite the clear video evidence, with some suggesting it sends a "terrible message that criminal mobs can escape consequence."

Palestine Action claimed the vandalism was a direct response to Lord Balfour's historical role and the Balfour Declaration, which they assert "paved the way for ethnic cleansing" in Palestine. The group stated that the red paint symbolized "the bloodshed of the Palestinian people since the Balfour Declaration was issued in 1917," and vowed to continue their direct action campaign against perceived British complicity in the "colonisation of Palestine."

Lord Arthur James Balfour, a former British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, is significant for the 1917 Balfour Declaration. This public statement pledged British support for "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people," a declaration viewed by many historians as a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the Arab-Israeli conflict. The damaged portrait, painted by Philip Alexius de László, remains undergoing restoration.