Man charged over alleged plot disrupt the London Stock Exchange to cause ‘economic damage’

The Metropolitan Police have said a man has been arrested and charged over an alleged plot to disrupt the London Stock Exchange which would have caused “huge economic damage.”

Scotland Yard said that Sean Middleborough, 31, from Liverpool, will appear at Wirral Magistrates’ Court on Monday and fiver other people were also arrested.

Three women and two men were arrested in connection with the alleged plot on the London Stock Exchange and are on bail pending further inquiries.

The Daily Express pass information over the Metropolitan Police on Friday, which then led to an investigation.

Activists from the group Palestine Action were set to plot to “target” the London Stock Exchange on Monday morning by doing a “locking on” to prevent the building being opened to trade.

The planned disruption would have caused a “week of chaos” according to the Express, and Scotland Yard said there was a “suggestion that this was one part of a planned week of action.”

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Sian Thomas said: “We believe this group was ready to carry out a disruptive and damaging stunt which could have had serious implications had it been carried out successfully.

“I’m grateful to the Express for their willingness to provide the information gleaned from their own investigation. It was instrumental in helping us intervene successfully.

“Having only been provided with the material on Friday afternoon we had limited time to act.

“Mindful of the suggestion that this was one part of a planned week of action, we are in contact with the City of London Police as well as other forces across the UK to ensure that appropriate resources are in place to deal with any disruption in the coming days.”

Palestine Action previously told the PA news agency: “The London Stock Exchange raise billions of pounds for apartheid Israel and trade shares in weapons manufacturers which arm Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people.

“Whilst Britain remains complicit in the brutal colonisation of Palestine, our direct action campaign will not be deterred.”