London police arrest man over posters showing 'monstrous' photo of armed Israeli

London police have apprehended an individual in connection with posters that featured a menacing depiction of an armed Israeli settler threatening a Palestinian woman in the occupied West Bank. The posters, which bore the caption "Labour's monsters," were distributed around London during the 2026 local elections in protest of the Labour Party's support for Israel during the Gaza crisis. The image, taken by Italian photojournalist Pietro Masturzo, was published in the April 2025 edition of L'Espresso magazine.

The Metropolitan Police initiated an investigation after receiving a complaint alleging that the posters constituted a racially aggravated public order offence. The complainant argued that the photograph was an "infamous but authentic portrayal" of a Jewish man and that it was intended to stoke hatred against Jewish people. The complainant also contended that the posters framed the Labour Party as complicit in the genocide of Palestinians and that they endorsed Israeli government policies.

Upon questioning, the 36-year-old suspect was released on bail while further inquiries were conducted. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband previously labeled the actions of Jewish settlers as "terrorism" supported by the Israeli state, emphasizing their role in ethnic cleansing in the West Bank.