“Tax the rich” protesters vandalized a display case of the Crown Jewels in the Tower of London in the United Kingdom.
Two members of the group “Take Back Power” threw popular British dessert menu options, apple crumble and yellow custard, at the display on Saturday. The political stunt occurred at 9:50 a.m. local time, according to reports. Both vandals wore black shirts with the words “Take Back Power” on them and held a black banner in front of the display case after throwing the food, which read, “Democracy has crumbled. Tax the rich.”
The Crown Jewels display was briefly closed after the incident, and local law enforcement officials reported arresting four people involved.
“Officers worked closely with City of London Police and security officers and four people have been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage. They have taken into custody,” said London’s Metropolitan Police. “The Tower has been closed to the public while the police investigation continues.”
The group claimed responsibility for the act in a story posted to its webpage.
“At around 09:50 this morning, two Take Back Power supporters covered the glass containing the crown jewels in custard and apple crumble,” TBP said. “They then held a sign which read ‘DEMOCRACY HAS CRUMBLED- TAX THE RICH’. By around 10:30, the two action takers and two others had been taken into custard-y by police.”
TBP released a statement regarding the vandalism, claiming the “super-rich” are not concerned with the plight “of working people.” They also demanded “real democracy.”
“Since 2011, the poorest 10% of households have paid a combined tax rate of 44% on their income and wealth gains, while the richest paid 22%,” said a TBP spokesperson. “Our political class, be it this government, Reform or Tory, serve the super-rich; they do not care about working people. That’s why we must demand real democracy, with ordinary people at the heart of decision making, through a citizen-led assembly that has the power to tax the rich.”
United Kingdom Minister of State for Policing and Crime Sarah Jones condemned the act, calling it “disgraceful,” according to the BBC.
“There is a clear difference between the democratic right to protest and unacceptable behavior,” said Jones.
Two of the people involved in the vandalism had comments posted on the TBP website, rebuking the “wealth inequality” and demanding societal change in the U.K.
“Britain is broken because the super-rich are pocketing billions, whilst working people struggle to get by,” said Miriam Cranch, one of the TBP members who “took action” on Saturday.
“This wealth inequality is leading us towards civil unrest, and it doesn’t have to be this way,” Cranch added. “Billionaires should not pay a lower tax rate on wealth they generate doing nothing, than those of us working jobs. It’s time ordinary people get a say on how to tax wealth with a permanent House of the People.”
HOUSE APPROPRIATORS EYE SMALLER SPENDING DEAL TO AVOID ‘NIGHTMARE’ JANUARY
Zahra Ali claimed the U.K. was “crumbling” before everyone’s eyes and demanded the affluent “pay their fair share” in order to “fix Britain.”
“Our country is crumbling before our eyes!” said Ali. “We have homeless people dying on the very streets that King Charles passed on his way to the coronation, whilst there are more empty homes than unhoused people in this country.”
“It’s time the ultra rich pay their fair share,” Ali added. “We demand a permanent House of the People. It’s time to take back power, tax the rich and fix Britain!”
Take Back Power describes itself as “a nonviolent civil resistance group in the UK” with the intention of putting the “99% in charge through citizen’s assemblies.” A summary of the group on its website claims its members “are ordinary people from all walks of life” who believe taxing the rich is a necessary requirement to “fix Britain.”
“We want the people to decide how we tax the rich through a legally-binding citizen’s assembly – A House of the People,” reads the TBP website. “It’s time for the 99% to have 99% of a say!”
