Our campaign for justice over the slashing of a historic portrait at Trinity College, Cambridge, has moved up a gear. The Great British PAC has now written to every Cambridgeshire MP and county councillor, pressing political leaders to step in over what we have branded a “deeply alarming failure” by police to act.
That appeal builds on our earlier letters to the college itself and to the Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Police and Crime Commissioner. It is the latest move in a swelling public pressure campaign driven by our University Directors Jake Reed and Jake Watts — the latter a student at the University of Cambridge.
In this round of correspondence we are urging elected representatives to demand a formal review of Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s decision to close the investigation. That decision stands despite a public claim of responsibility from Palestine Action, now a proscribed terrorist organisation, and despite the existence of both video evidence and CCTV footage.
Mayor Bristow: “Incredible that the police won’t take action”
Our university directors have now won the public support of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Mayor Paul Bristow, who voiced his disbelief at the absence of any police action.
“It’s incredible that the police won’t take action when it seems the perpetrator has as much admitted responsibility. Protest is legitimate. But if University officials and the police turn a blind eye to obvious criminality, they shouldn’t be surprised if it encourages escalating examples of unacceptable behaviour,” Mayor Bristow said.
Coming from the region’s most senior elected figure, his intervention marks a significant moment in the growing cross-party unease over how this case has been handled.
“We’re not letting this go” — our leaders press on
Writing to councillors and MPs, Watts and Reed put it plainly:
“We urge you to take action regarding the unacceptable decision of Cambridgeshire Constabulary to close their investigation into the vandalism of a historic portrait of Lord Balfour at Trinity College.”
The attack happened on 8 March 2024, when a member of Palestine Action walked into the college and slashed the 1914 portrait by the celebrated artist Philip Alexius de László. The painting depicts Lord Arthur Balfour, a former Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary.
Even with footage of the incident and the suspect identified on social media, police concluded that they could not find the perpetrator — a position we regard as indefensible.
The letter goes on:
“The failure to prosecute the perpetrators — who carried out the act on behalf of a now proscribed terrorist organisation — undermines the security of our national heritage and risks emboldening further vandalism in the future.”
We have asked councillors and MPs to:
- Press the Police and Crime Commissioner to demand a full review of the investigation.
- Urge the Constabulary to reconsider their decision to close the case.
- Support efforts toward public accountability and, if necessary, a private prosecution.
Exploring private legal action
We are already actively weighing a private prosecution to hold those responsible to account. In earlier statements, both of our directors made clear they would not be backing down.
“When a group publicly admits to defacing a piece of British heritage and the police walk away, something has gone badly wrong,” Jake Watts said last week.
“This isn’t just about one painting. It’s about the message we send to radicals who think violence and vandalism are acceptable in a university setting,” added Jake Reed. “We won’t let silence be the final word.”
We continue to demand transparency from both Trinity College and the Cambridgeshire police, and we are inviting elected officials at every level to back our call for answers.
Today, the @GreatBritishPAC have written to MPs in Cambridgeshire, urging them to take action over the Police's decision to close the case into the vandalism of the Lord Balfour Portrait at the University of Cambridge. @SteveBarclay @sam_carling_ @pippaheylings @IanSollom (1/2) — NextGen PAC (@Next_Gen_PAC) July 28, 2025