Protestors have laid a Palestinian flag and white flowers on the cenotaph in London before marking the ground with the alleged death toll in Gaza.
Members of the group Youth Demand – an off-shoot of Just Stop Oil – used red washable chalk to write ‘180,000 killed’ on the tarmac in front of the national war memorial in Whitehall just before noon today.
The figure references a recent report in the Lancet which speculates that the number of people who have died in Gaza may be significantly higher than what has been circulated.
The protestors were ‘quickly’ arrested on suspicion of criminal damage, a spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police confirmed.
As cars and buses passed, the pair shouted ‘Stop arming Israel’ and ‘Free Palestine’ before sitting on the memorial and pulling out placards which read ‘Never Again for Anyone’ and ‘Stop Arming Israel’.
Two activists from Youth Demand lay a Palestine flag on the cenotaph in Whitehall, London
The pair use red washable chalk to write an alleged death toll on the tarmac
Having laid white flowers on the memorial, the activists sit with signs that read ‘Stop Arming Israel’ and ‘Never Again for Anyone’
The protestors were cheered by some people passing by.
One of those protesting at the cenotaph today was Olivia Burnett, 22, from Leeds.
She said: ‘At the end of WWII, this country looked at the bodies and promised we would never allow these kinds of atrocities to happen again.
‘This monument reminds us of those who gave their lives fighting a genocide, and that “never again” means never again for anyone. Labour is disrespecting this legacy by being complicit in genocide and allowing arms to be sold to Israel.’
Also taking action today is Esther Akatwijuka, 20, who said: ‘In Palestine, four-year-olds are having heart attacks from the sound of bombs dropping around their homes and Gaza is so decimated it literally looks a different colour from space.
‘Everything that the cenotaph stands for is contrary to the Labour government allowing British companies to profit from genocide.’
The student from Bristol added: ‘The government continuing to uphold the status quo they have inherited from the Tories shows us that party politics has failed us and we need nonviolent direct action to make a change.
Akatwijuka is also a part of The Our Air Our City campaign which calls for action to eliminate Bristol’s dangerous air pollution.
In a post on X, the Metropolitan Police said: ‘These two women were quickly arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and are in custody.
‘The damage was caused to the road and not the Cenotaph. Everyone has the right to peaceful protest but where that crosses the line into criminality we will take action.’
Protestor Olivia Burnett sits on the cenotaph with red hands and a sign that reads ‘Stop Arming Israel’
Fellow activist, Esther Akatwijuka, shows her stained hands and a sign saying ‘Never Again for Anyone’
The Metropolitan Police arrest the protestors at the cenotaph today
Burnett, 22, lies on the ground as police officers gather round
The Youth Demand activist looks angry as the police remove them from the cenotaph
Wearing a Youth Demand t-shirt, Akatwijuka looks sombre while being led away by police
The Metropolitan Police told MailOnline: ‘Police officers have arrested two people after paint was sprayed on to the road at Whitehall.
‘At about 11:55hrs on Monday, 15 July, officers were made aware of a protest next to the Cenotaph.
‘Two people were quickly arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and taken to a central London police station.
‘The Cenotaph was not damaged.’
Veterans minister Al Carns criticised the protest, saying the Cenotaph was ‘special for all of us’.
He said: ‘The act of vandalism is abhorrent.
‘No matter what is happening in the world, the Cenotaph must be respected. It stands in memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.’
Youth Demand is a sister group of Just Stop Oil – set up to address issues other than the climate crisis.
On Saturday they held a protest in the roads around Marble Arch, bragging they had left ’50 police officers trailing behind’.
However, the protest which began at 2.30pm was cleared less than half-an-hour later as officers from the Met Police arrested eight people, with traffic returning to normal by 2.55pm.
The group are demanding a two-way arms embargo on Israel and for the new UK government to halt all new oil and gas licences granted since 2021.
An officer carries the Palestinian flag laid on the cenotaph during the protest
Three Metropolitan police officers surround a placard on the floor which reads ‘Never Again for Anyone’
The new organisation has previously targeted the Labour party by spray painting their headquarters as well as staging a protest outside Keir Starmer’s home.
The group laid rows of children’s shoes at Starmer’s front door in Kentish Town, north London in April this year.
Youth Demand announced they intend to disrupt the state opening of parliament on July 17.
