Three Youth Demand supporters have been found guilty in the first trial to take place after Suella Braverman’s protest law was declared illegal. They blocked traffic in 2024 to demand a two-way arms embargo on Israel. [1]
Sam Holland, Monday Rosenfeld and one other supporter were on trial at City of London Magistrates’ Court before District Judge Nina Tempia, accused of breaching Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, following a Youth Demand roadblock at Piccadilly Circus, London, on 29 November 2024. [2]
They were found guilty of failing to comply with conditions imposed on a public assembly. Sam Holland was fined £340, while Monday received a conditional discharge for 6 months and is required to pay £176 in costs.
This is the first trial to proceed under the offence since the Court of Appeal ruled that the government acted unlawfully, when it bypassed parliament to introduce regulations that redefined ‘serious disruption’ in the Public Order Act 1986 to mean anything ‘more than minor’. [3]
Following the trial Sam, 23, said:
“I took action to uphold the law. The UK government is allowing the sale of lethal weapons to a state which is led by a wanted war criminal. Thousands upon thousands of children have been slaughtered because the UK government, along with other Western governments, is allowing Israel to act with impunity.
We have a moral and legal obligation to do everything within our power to stop them. I will not standby and watch as my country continues to arm Israel. A total trade embargo is the bare minimum that we should be doing right now. ”
Young people will not accept these crimes against humanity and we will not be led by war criminals. We cannot allow those in power to get away with facilitating the systematic annihilation of an entire people. Only mass resistance can put an end to this genocide. Join us at youthdemand.org.
ENDS
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Notes to Editors:
[1] Youth Demand is a youth-led nonviolent civil resistance group 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.
