Four people were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage after custard and apple crumble were thrown at the display case protecting the Imperial State Crown at the Tower of London on Saturday, 6 December 2025, shortly before 10:00 GMT. The Metropolitan Police attended and the Jewel House was closed while officers assessed the scene.
Historic Royal Palaces, which manages the site, confirmed the Crown itself was not damaged. The Jewel House reopened to visitors early in the afternoon following clean‑up and security checks.
Take Back Power, which describes itself as a new non‑violent civil resistance group and appears to be linked to Just Stop Oil networks, said it carried out the action. In statements posted online, the group said it sought to force the creation of a permanent citizens’ assembly-termed a ‘House of the People’-with powers to tax ‘extreme wealth’.
Video released by the group shows one protester striking the glass with a foil tray of crumble and another pouring bright yellow custard over the case. Shouts of ‘Democracy has crumbled’ and ‘Britain is broken’ can be heard as visitors react nearby.
Policing minister Sarah Jones called the incident ‘disgraceful’, drawing a distinction between the right to protest and behaviour that falls outside the law. The Metropolitan Police stated that four individuals were arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and enquiries continue.
The policy demand advanced by Take Back Power goes beyond current arrangements. In the UK, taxation is authorised by Parliament through the Budget and annual Finance Acts, with the House of Commons holding primacy over money bills. Establishing any new permanent assembly with tax‑setting powers would require primary legislation and a clearly defined constitutional role.
From a legal perspective, the immediate offence under consideration is criminal damage, an allegation commonly prosecuted under the Criminal Damage Act 1971. Public order powers introduced in 2023 to manage serious disruption form part of the wider policing context but have not been cited in this incident.
The action is the group’s second in recent days. On Wednesday, three protesters emptied bags of manure in the lobby of the Ritz hotel beneath its 25‑foot Christmas tree.
Take Back Power has emerged in recent weeks on social media channels used by Just Stop Oil activists, which have described it as a ‘new project’. Just Stop Oil, known for high‑profile protests including soup thrown at Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ and motorway gantry climbs, said in March that it would end its use of direct action.
The Imperial State Crown, worn by the King for major ceremonies including his departure from Westminster Abbey on coronation day in 2023 and the State Opening of Parliament, is kept in the Jewel House when not in use. Made in 1937 for King George VI, it contains 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, four rubies and 269 pearls, and weighs over one kilogram.