Pro-Palestine protesters close London university rally site seconds before deadline

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Pro-Palestine student protesters abandoned a London School of Economics (LSE) encampment minutes before a court-ordered deadline to quit.

Organisers hastily removed tents, protest signs and bin bags before the crowd climbed out of the university building's windows at 3.40pm on Monday.

They dismantled the encampment on the ground floor of the Marshall Building as the seconds ticked down towards the deadline.

Campaigners gathered outside as security officers shut windows once protesters had left the building.

At separate protests on Monday, members of Palestine Action group vandalised a Canadian bank's office in the City of London and a factory in Kent.

Ten people were arrested after the Scotiabank building in Bishopsgate was sprayed with red paint and activists blocked doors.

Detective Chief Inspector Paul Doyle said: “We arrived shortly after 6am and arrested 10 protesters linked to Palestine Action.

“Criminal damage of businesses and institutions in the City of London will not be tolerated and will result in police action.”

Palestine Action claims that Scotiabank's subsidiary, 1832 Asset Management, holds shares in the Israeli arms company Elbit. Scotiabank did not comment.

Seven people were arrested after activists filmed themselves breaking into Instro Precision in Sandwich, Kent.

Protesters wearing orange jumpsuits were seen in the video crawling through a broken window.

Palestine Action said some had used rolls of spikes called stingers to stop vehicles getting into the site while the break-in took place.

It said that Instro Precision is owned by Elbit and it produces military-grade electro-optical equipment. Instro Precision has been approached for comment.

The LSE protest began in May when students occupied the Marshal Building to protest against the university’s ties to Israel.

Dozens of students took part in that protest as similar demonstrations were held in universities across Europe and the US.

LSE’s student union's Palestine Society had produced a report on the university’s financial ties to companies that support Israel.