4 men arrested for allegedly trespassing on grounds of British prime minister’s country estate

LONDON — Four men were arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of trespassing after entering the grounds of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s estate in northern England, police said.

North Yorkshire Police said the group was stopped shortly after midday and arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespassing.

A group called Youth Demand released a video showing a man in boots entering Sunak’s pond, where he pretended to defecate.

The group said in a statement replete with a crude four-letter word for human waste that it was a “parting gift” to the prime minister. He said the stool used in the stunt was made of latex so it could be recovered and prevent environmental damage.

Sunak was in London at the time for a state visit by the Japanese emperor and empress.

The incident comes just over a week before the UK general election which will determine whether Sunak remains in power. Polls and pundits have predicted that Labor will take control after 14 years of Conservative rule.

The police officer who confronted the group asked the man identified by the group as “Oliver” what his intentions were, according to video of the incident.

“I believe our intentions are carried out,” he replied.

Youth Demand said it is calling for a two-way arms embargo on Israel and for the next UK government to revoke oil and gas licenses granted since 2021.

The group said that among the four detained was a press photographer.

Sunak had condemned the group earlier this year when he hung a banner on Labor leader Keir Starmer’s home that read “Stop the killing”, a reference to Israel’s war against Hamas militants.

In August, four Greenpeace protesters were charged with criminal damage after climbing onto Sunak’s house while he was away and covering it with black cloth to protest his Plan to expand oil and gas extraction. in the North Sea.