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Bronze Statue of Palestinian Leader Marwan Barghouti Sparks Planning Probe in London
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Statue Installation Triggers Planning Inquiry
A life-size bronze statue of Marwan Barghouti, a senior Fatah official serving five life sentences in Israel for five murders, has been placed on the roof of Palestine House on High Holborn in Camden. The installation prompted a complaint from the pro-Israel legal group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), leading Camden Council’s planning enforcement department to open an investigation into whether the statue and its base were permitted under the building’s July 2025 planning approval. At this stage the council has not determined that the statue was unlawful.
Marwan Barghouti: Conviction and Symbolic Significance
Barghouti, 66, was convicted in May 2004 on five counts of murder and sentenced to five life terms plus an additional 40 years. Despite his imprisonment, he retains considerable political standing among Palestinians, and supporters have mounted an international campaign for his release. The statue depicts him handcuffed with his arms raised in a “V for victory,” echoing a well-known photograph taken after his arrest.
Camden Council’s Response and Legal Challenge
Council officials have ordered the removal of some signage previously displayed on the building and have refused retrospective approval for other illuminated signs. UKLFI argues that the rooftop extension was approved on the condition that it would not be prominent from street level and that the property lies within a conservation area, requiring separate permission for the statue. A UKLFI spokesperson criticized the council, describing its handling of the matter as a disgrace on public and moral grounds.
Prior Signage Disputes at Palestine House
The building has faced earlier scrutiny from planning authorities. Complaints have previously targeted a giant Palestinian flag, a large advertisement for “Gaza Cola,” and an illuminated sign bearing the slogan “Stop the Genocide.” In June, activists attempting to install the Barghouti statue in Parliament Square were stopped by police, after which the statue was relocated to the rooftop of Palestine House.