Pro-Palestine protester arrested after spraying red paint over statue of former Prime Minister

The 38-year-old was taken into custody on Thursday following an incident that occurred during the early hours of Monday.

Police confirmed the suspect has been "released with strict bail conditions whilst enquiries continue".

The statue, which commemorates Wales's only British Prime Minister, was targeted with paint and political messages in what authorities are treating as criminal damage.

The monument was defaced with paint and several political slogans during the overnight attack.

Among the messages sprayed on the statue were "Zionist", "Free Palestine" and "Lloyd George is scum".

The graffiti-covered the memorial, which stands prominently in the town square near the historic castle.

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Local authorities have since cleaned the monument, removing all traces of the paint.

Lloyd George, who hailed from Llanystumdwy near Criccieth, served as Prime Minister from 1916 to 1922.

His tenure included the 1917 Balfour Declaration, when Britain endorsed creating a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine.

The declaration proved crucial in establishing Israel in 1947, following centuries of Jewish persecution worldwide.

Persistent conflict has been experienced in the region, with recent violence escalating after Palestinian militants killed 1,143 Israelis and seized approximately 250 hostages.

The war in Gaza has claimed over 56,500 Palestinian lives, according to Gaza's health ministry.

The news follows multiple people being arrested at a Palestine Action protest in Parliament Square, London, on Saturday.

The Metropolitan Police said that officers have arrested more than 20 people on suspicion of offences under the Terrorism Act 2000.