Activists arrested after custard and apple crumble thrown over Crown Jewels display at Tower of London
The Tower of London’s Jewel House was briefly closed after activists threw custard and apple crumble over a display case containing the Imperial State Crown, leading to the arrest of four people.
Footage of the incident, which happened on December 6 and quickly spread on social media, showed one individual smearing a tin tray of apple crumble over the jewels’ display case, followed by a second throwing custard.
Officials confirmed the Crown Jewels weren’t damaged, and the room housing the jewels was reopened later the same day after the food debris was cleared.
Police detain protesters after food thrown at exhibit
Per ITV, police responding to the incident said, “Four protestors have been arrested following criminal damage at the Tower of London.”
The Imperial State Crown, part of the Crown Jewels collection that has been kept at the Tower of London for centuries, is one of the UK’s most recognizable national treasures.
The Tower of London dates back nearly 1,000 years and was originally built as a fortress, later repurposed into a prison, and today, it has become a high-traffic tourist attraction.
While not quite on the level of an affront to the Royal Family, this bizarre method of vandalism follows less than a month after an incident in Australia, where a teenager was charged with sticking googly eyes to a sculpture worth $88,000.