Led By Donkeys Secures £27,216 Compensation After GLA Seizes Gaza-War Protest Banner

On December 4, 2024, Greater London Authority (GLA) heritage wardens entered Parliament Square, confiscated a 40-metre by 40-metre banner displayed by the campaign group Led By Donkeys, and handed it to the environmental services firm Veolia. After the banner was stored for roughly 12 weeks, Veolia reported that its condition deteriorated and it became a health-and-safety hazard, leading the company to dispose of the material. Following legal letters from Led By Donkeys, Veolia agreed to reimburse the full cost, paying £27,216 to the group.

The Guardian

The banner read “Yes It’s A Genocide” and was unfurled a little over a year after Israel’s assault on Gaza began on October 7, 2023. The campaign framed the display as a collaboration with a leading genocide scholar and cited a United Nations independent commission of inquiry that, in September 2024, concluded Israel was committing genocide in Gaza and continued to target children. Israeli officials have repeatedly rejected the genocide label.

The Guardian

• Banner dimensions: 40 m × 40 m.

The Guardian

• Compensation paid: £27,216.

The Guardian

• Duration of storage before disposal: approximately 12 weeks.

The Guardian

• Led By Donkeys’ campaign length: 19 months, during which the group reports multiple instances of equipment seizure, all linked to Palestine-related activism.

The Guardian

• “This is exactly what a genocide looks like.” — Holocaust, historian — Holocaust historian

The Guardian

• “We were asked by our client to collect the banner and store it temporarily at one of our local depots. Regrettably, after around 12 weeks, the banner’s condition deteriorated and became a health and safety hazard for our operations and the depot had to dispose of it. We have reimbursed Led By Donkeys for the full cost of the banner, due to the unintentional damage caused.” — Veolia spokesperson — Veolia spokesperson

The Guardian