A 29-year-old man has been arrested by City of London police in connection with the reported sabotage of fibre optic cables outside insurance company offices in several UK cities.
The activist group Shut the System claimed responsibility for the incidents, which took place last Monday, targeting cables in London, Leeds, Birmingham, and Sheffield. In a statement, the group said its actions were directed at insurance companies due to their role in supporting the fossil fuel industry through underwriting and investments.
The group circulated a photo appearing to show an individual dressed as an electrical engineer cutting cables near 52 Lime Street in London’s financial district. Offices of W/R/B Underwriting and Chaucer are located at this address.
Other affected sites included Lloyd’s of London, the Walkie Talkie building at 20 Fenchurch Street, home to multiple insurers, and the offices of Talbot AIG, Chubb, and AIG, all based in the City of London. The group also claimed responsibility for incidents impacting AIG in Birmingham, Markel in Sheffield, and AXA in Leeds.
In its statement, Shut the System said: “If these powerful companies don’t make public statements that they will stop driving fossil fuel expansion and destroying life on Earth, then we have no choice but to stop them ourselves. We will not give up until insurance companies take responsible action.”
Lloyd’s of London declined to comment, and police are continuing investigations to determine which businesses were affected.
Matthew Geyman, managing director of cybersecurity firm Intersys, reported a slowdown in internet speeds in London around the time of the sabotage but noted that overall network functionality remained intact. He attributed the resilience to backup systems and redundant communication routes that minimise disruption during such incidents.
“There doesn’t seem to have been as much impact as I suspect the protesters hoped,” Geyman said. “The systems are designed to be resilient to these kinds of attacks.”
Repair work was reportedly underway on Thursday outside Lloyd’s of London to address the damage.
Shut the System is known for previous actions targeting City-based insurers and bank branches, including vandalism and fibre optic sabotage. Unlike other activist groups, the organisation employs clandestine methods, avoiding arrest by leaving the scene before police arrive.
DCI Kevin Ives, of the City of London police, confirmed the arrest, stating: “A 29-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, following reports of external cabling being damaged under the City of London on Monday, January 20. The man has been bailed with conditions, pending further police investigations.”
