Dozens of Youth Demand supporters have taken to the streets, 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 9:30 this morning, around 50 Youth Demand supporters, in two teams, stepped onto the road at South Kensington and Victoria Street near Westminster Cathedral. The team at South Kensington was subject to numerous assaults despite being on the road for only six minutes. The team at Victoria left the road after 10 minutes.
The teams regrouped and then entered the road once more at Westminster Abbey and Warren Street at around 10:50. The team at Westminster Abbey left the road after 10 minutes after significant aggression from the public. The team at Warren Street left the road after 5 minutes during which a passerby stole a phone from someone filming the action and proceeded to delete footage from it.
Both groups then converged as Picadilly Circus and disrupted traffic for about 10 minutes at around 13:15.
A Youth Demand spokesperson said:
“Out of the over 51,000 Palestinians dead, 17,400 were children, 1720 of them under 2 years old. Half of the remaining 2.3 million people in Gaza are children. Meanwhile, the UK government continues to actively support this genocide, allowing the British military to provide logistics and reconnaissance for Israel, whilst 15% of every F35 fighter jet dropping bombs on Gaza has been made by British industry. We will not permit our leaders to be complicit with war crimes and crimes against humanity. We need a total trade embargo with Israel right now.”[2]
One of those taking action today was Gannon Rice, 20, a student, who said:
“How much longer will we prioritise the right to individual accumulation over the lives of human beings? How long are we prepared, as a society, to sit and watch our leaders facilitate the mass murder of children? People say if you want change- vote. Well the UK has recently seen a change of government and things are worse than ever. In that scenario history shows us that the only leverage we have as ordinary people is through nonviolent disruptive action. We are told individuals can’t make a difference to enact change, but with many of us together we can make a difference. Join us at youthdemand.org.”
Yesterday, four Youth Demand supporters were arrested after having left the road after obeying police instructions to move. They were arrested for breach of Section 7 of the Public Order Act, public nuisance and willful obstruction of the highway. All have been bailed to leave London. That brings the total number of arrests since Saturday to 12. [3]
Tonight at 18:30, Youth Demand will be hosting a rally with other Palestinian solidarity groups outside BBC Broadcasting house, Portland Place.
Today’s action comes as the death toll in Gaza rises to over 51,000 Palestinians confirmed dead, whilst 116,274 have been wounded during Israel’s genocide. The Government Media Office in Gaza has updated its death toll to more than 61,700, saying thousands of people missing under the rubble are presumed dead. Israeli authorities have blocked the entry of all humanitarian aid to Gaza’s 2.3 million people since early March. [4]
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. Join us tonight at 18:30 outside BBC Broadcasting house, Portland Place.
ENDS
Youth Demand Press contact: 07762 987334
Press email: YouthDemandPress@protonmail.com
High quality images & video here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13vFus2e8TEI_bfhIYHXEIV-IZV86P9v9
Website: https://youthdemand.org
Twitter: https://x.com/youth_demand
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_youthdemand
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@youth.demand
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.
[2] https://www.newarab.com/news/uk-military-role-israels-gaza-war-exposed-report
