Youth Demand supporters are swarming across London today 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 10:45 this morning, around 10 Youth Demand supporters stepped onto a pedestrian crossing near Bermondsey station and held up the traffic for around 15 minutes as they stood with banners reading “Stop arming Israel” and let off smoke flares. They left the road after some aggression from members of the public. The team emerged later at East India Dock Road in Limehouse and blocked the road at another pedestrian crossing for around 20 minutes. Police attended but there were no arrests. Swarming actions have also happened at Waterloo and Holborn this morning.
Taking action today was Daniel Formentin, 25, a musician from Leeds who said:
“Tens of thousands of murdered Palestinians are under the age of five. Toddlers cannot be terrorists. More children have been murdered in the 18 months since October 8th than in 9 years of military campaigns in Iraq in the 1990s. There can be no justification for this and I will not standby and do nothing while the slaughter continues.
“The UK government is allowing UK based companies to supply weapons to Israel. Weapons that are used to kill children. It’s disgusting and immoral. We should have no trade with war criminals. It’s time for a total trade embargo on Israel.”
Also taking action today was Sita Augustine, 19, a student from Leeds who said:
“By arming and supporting a genocide in Gaza, the elites have shown us what they are capable of. They have blood on their hands and this horror will be repeated, again and again, unless we resist. We have to come together and stand up for what is morally right regardless of consequences. That’s why we’re shutting down London day after day and we’re calling on young people everywhere to join us. ”
Today’s actions come against a backdrop of ongoing killing and forcible displacement of Palestinians in Gaza, coupled with the routine denial of access for aid and of medical evacuations. Yesterday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health reported that 51,065 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since 7th October 2023, with nearly 1700 being killed since Israel broke the ceasefire on March 18th. [2]
The UN reports that the Gaza Strip is now likely facing the worst humanitarian crisis in the 18 months since October 2023. Israel has denied entry to humanitarian aid and supplies for seven weeks (since 2 March 2025). This is three times longer than the October 2023 siege. As a result, critical humanitarian supplies, including food, fuel, medical aid and vaccines for children, are rapidly depleting.[3]
Meanwhile, while the UK government continues to support genocide by granting export licences for arms, whilst conducting more surveillance flights on behalf of Israel over Gaza than any other country. [4][5]
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 tomorrow 11am, Brunswick Square Gardens, B504, WC1N 1AX to shut down London.
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
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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.ochaopt.org/content/humanitarian-situation-update-280-gaza-strip
[5] https://www.declassifieduk.org/britain-sent-over-500-spy-flights-to-gaza/
