Two Youth Demand supporters have laid body bags at David Lammy’s door to highlight his role in continuing to facilitate the genocide in Gaza. The supporters are demanding that the UK government impose a total trade embargo on Israel, and make the super rich and fossil fuel elite pay damages to communities and countries most harmed by fossil fuel burning. [1]
At around 11am, Cristy North, who works as a live-in carer, and Sue Houseman, a mum from Lancaster, displayed a sign over the foreign secretary’s hedge which read- ‘Lammy Stop Arming Genocide’. At his door the pair laid child-sized body bags representing the 17,400 children that we know of, who have been murdered during Israel’s genocidal rampage since October 7th 2023.
A Youth Demand spokesperson said:
“David Lammy has admitted that Israel is in breach of international law and yet the UK has cancelled less than 10% of arms sales to Israel. 90% complicity with murder is still complicity with murder. History will rightly view those that supported the systematic slaughter of children with absolute contempt, and David Lammy will be held to account for not having the spine to cease trading with Israel and halting British armed forces from assisting this genocide.”
This morning’s action comes as two groups of Youth Demand supporters took to the streets at around 9am this morning, disrupting traffic at Commercial Street, Angel Junction and Tower Bridge. The groups could be seen holding banners which read ‘Youth Demand an End to Genocide’ and ‘Stop Arming Israel’. Further road disruptions are expected later today.
One of those taking action this morning is Sue Houseman, a mum from Lancaster, who said:
“For years I’ve worked with children, helping them understand what’s right and what’s wrong and giving them the confidence to use their voice and to speak up. Our government is breaking international humanitarian law and they are allowing Israel to murder children en-masse. We’re providing them with the resources, the bombs, the surveillance equipment they need to kill children day in, day out and the UK government are not doing anything to stop it. If, like me, you are not prepared to put up with that, then please take action this April with Youth Demand.”
Also taking action this morning is Cristy North, 37, a live-in carer from Nottingham, who said:
“How can we be trading with and arming a genocidal state? The UK government is breaking domestic and international law by doing so. I cannot sit back and watch a genocide take place. I originally come from South Africa. I was a lot younger when apartheid was happening there and I couldn’t do anything about it, but I saw the trauma and the effect it has had on people there and it makes me incredibly sad for this to be happening now in Palestine. We cannot sit back and do nothing, we must call on the government to impose a trade embargo on Israel, because as we saw with apartheid in South Africa, that was the final nail in the coffin that ended apartheid.”
Israel kills a child every 45 minutes in Gaza. That is an average of 30 children killed every day over the past 535 days. At least 17,400 children have been killed since 7th October 2023 and many more remain lost in rubble. 1720 of these were babies and one year olds. About half of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents are children and over the past 17 months, Israeli attacks have left their homes in ruins, destroyed their schools, and overwhelmed their healthcare facilities. [2]
Meanwhile, the UK continues to actively support this genocide. British military bases, arms exports, and logistical support are instrumental in sustaining Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. UK-made components are being utilised in the F-35 fighter jets that have been deployed extensively in Gaza. British citizens have also actively served in Israel’s armed forces, directly contributing to atrocities. [3][4]
Last month, David Lammy admitted in the House of Commons that Israel’s blockade preventing humanitarian supplies into Gaza, was a breach of international humanitarian law. The government subsequently rowed back on these comments stating their position was that Israel’s actions in Gaza were at ‘clear risk’ of breaching international humanitarian law. [5]
This evening, Youth Demand will hold a rally with Fight Racism Fight Imperialism, Palestine Pulse, Prayers for Gaza, Thanet for Palestine and Greenwich for Palestine. The groups will converge at the Ministry of Defence, in solidarity with all those murdered in Palestine. Join us from 6:30pm at 1 Horse Guards Avenue, SW1A.
Young people will not accept these crimes against humanity and we will not be led by war criminals and arsonists. We cannot allow those in power to get away with facilitating the systematic annihilation of an entire culture. It’s time to take to the streets day after day and to demand better. Only sustained mass resistance can put an end to this genocide. Sign up to take action at youthdemand.org.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors
[1] Youth Demand is a youth-led resistance campaign fighting for an end to genocide in Palestine and across the globe as a result of the climate crisis.
Our demands:
Stop all trade with Israel:the UK government must impose a total trade embargo on Israel.
Make the rich pay: the UK government must raise £1tn by 2030 from the super rich and fossil fuel elite to pay damages to communities and countries most harmed by fossil fuel burning.
Youth Demand is part of Umbrella and a member of the A22 Network of civil resistance projects.
[3] https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-military-role-israels-gaza-war-exposed-report
