On Friday 15 November, supporters of Youth Demand disrupted traffic in both London and Exeter, demanding a two-way arms embargo on Israel, and for the UK government to halt all new oil and gas licences granted since 2021.
London: swarmed by Youth Demand once again
In London, action takers blocked Holborn’s Southampton Row, Marble Arch, and finally Kensington High Street in front of the Israeli embassy. The team of Youth Demand supporters held placards reading ‘YOUTH DEMAND AN END TO GENOCIDE’, ‘NOT IN OUR NAME’, and ‘YOUTH DEMAND’, along with Palestinian flags. The first roadblock took place at around 10:30am, and were still ongoing at the time of writing:
Youth Demand swarmed across the capital – hammering home their messages in the Friday traffic:
🚨 BREAKING: MARBLE ARCH, HOLBORN, ISRAELI EMBASSY, MORE ROADS BLOCKED IN LONDON
On the 5th day of action, young people continue to disrupt, because the UK continues to sell weapons to Israel.
Shut it down for Palestine with us at https://t.co/q6BMSNfHP2 pic.twitter.com/NQsUBg0Pkx
— Youth Demand (@youth_demand) November 15, 2024
Action takers in Exeter blocked Prince of Wales Road, New North Road, and Heles Road throughout the day, beginning at 12:20pm. They faced resistance from members of the public:
Elsa from London took action. She said:
I’m taking action with Youth Demand today because there’s no time to sit and wait for the government. Every day that the UK keeps sending weapons to Israel is a day too long. Too many kid’s lives have been taken. Never again means never again for anybody.
Hannah Chick from Lewisham was also out swarming. She said:
My friends in Gaza are all under siege and have been displaced continuously. I cannot sit and allow my government to send weapons to murder my friends.
Israel openly admits to war crimes in front of the Western world, whilst the West nod in agreement and sign more bombs over. Shame on every single complacent soul.
This is now the fifth day this week that Youth Demand has taken action.
Five days of swarming
As the Canary has been documenting, the group first took action on Remembrance Day, Monday 11 November. Members laid a Palestinian flag-coloured wreath at the Cenotaph, while also blocking roads and disrupting traffic elsewhere in London and in Manchester.
At 11am, a group of Youth Demand supporters silently blocked the road outside of the Houses of Parliament during the Armistice Day remembrance service. The group could be seen holding signs which read ‘Never Again for Anyone’ and ‘Over 186,000 Dead’.
At around 12:10pm the group also occupied the road on Cannon Street until around 12:25pm. The group then moved on and at around 1:10pm they disrupted the road at Moorgate, on the London Wall Road until around 1:30pm.
Also at around 9am, supporters swarmed the streets at two locations in Manchester. Then, on Tuesday 12 November the group did similar in Leeds – blocking multiple roads and being threatened with arrest. The group then returned to Manchester on Wednesday 13 November, blocking multiple locations.
Youth Demand said that “Young people will not accept our politicians supporting the murder of innocent people. This week, young people are taking action in cities all around the country”
On Saturday 16 November there is also the Global March for Climate Justice in London. You can read more about that here, and support Youth Demand here.
Featured image and additional images via Youth Demand
