Activists Charged Following London Protests
Eight activists have been charged with criminal damage after staging protests targeting The Ritz Hotel and the Crown Jewels in London last year, according to the Metropolitan Police.
On 3 December 2025, four individuals aged between 21 and 66 were charged after bags of manure were dumped and poured onto the floor of The Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly.
Separately, four others have been charged in connection with an incident on 6 December 2025, when crumble and custard were thrown at a display case containing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.
Take Back Power, a group describing itself as a non-violent civil resistance organisation and considered an offshoot of Just Stop Oil, has claimed responsibility for both events.
The individuals charged following the Ritz Hotel incident are Ellen Redwood-Brown, 23, Tom Barber, 66, Toby Ellwood, 21, and Tjalle Rumley, 26.
Those charged in relation to the Crown Jewels incident are Fatima Ali, 19, Miriam Cranch, 22, Mack Preston, 22, and Matthew Cooper, 50.
The Metropolitan Police stated that all defendants are scheduled to appear in court within the next two weeks.
Details of the Crown Jewels Protest
During the Crown Jewels protest, Take Back Power activists threw crumble and custard at the display case as a demand for the government to establish a permanent citizen's assembly, termed the "House of the People", with authority to "tax extreme wealth and fix Britain."
The group released footage on social media showing one protester slamming a large foil tray of crumble against the glass, followed by another pouring bright yellow custard over the front of the case.
"Democracy has crumbled," one protester was heard shouting.
Previous Actions and Arrests
Earlier this year, the Metropolitan Police reported the arrest of 15 activists from Take Back Power over alleged plans for "mass shoplifting" in London. Authorities stated the group had been preparing to steal goods from major supermarkets for redistribution.
In its latest update, police confirmed that David Kilroy, 66, from Plymouth, has been charged with theft following an alleged organised shoplifting incident at a Sainsbury's in Lewisham on 14 March 2026. Kilroy is due to appear at Bexley Magistrates' Court on 29 April.
In March, Take Back Power said supporters in London, Manchester, Exeter and Truro "took back food and necessities from supermarkets and redistributed them to local food banks."
Background on Take Back Power and Just Stop Oil
Take Back Power emerged on social media channels used by Just Stop Oil activists towards the end of 2025. The environmental protest group refers to Take Back Power as a "new project."
Just Stop Oil, known for several high-profile protests including throwing soup on Vincent van Gogh's Sunflowers painting and climbing motorway gantries, announced it would cease direct action in March.
