London Protests LIVE: Youths Accuse Government of Silencing Them at Pro-Palestine Rally
Live – Last updated at 8:24 PM
Demonstrators at a pro- Palestine The rally organized by the activist group Youth Demand has charged the government with "attempting to silence us."
The "Shut It Down For Palestine" demonstration started at 6:30 PM on Malet Street in Bloomsbury.
Youth Demand claims it is the initial installment in a sequence of protests It will take place all through April, employing strategies like "swarming" and roadblocks to effectively "shutdown" the capital.
Arthur, aged 24, who became part of the Youth movement a year ago and currently serves as a spokesperson, voiced worries about how the government views the demonstrations.
Talking to our correspondent Josh Butler at the location, Arthur recounted the moment when law enforcement stormed into a Quaker gathering that took place the previous week and "collected" everyone present.
“It’s astonishing, it’s incredible, yet it’s also somewhat expected,” he stated to The Standard.
What we aim to demonstrate here is unity, opposing a government that is frantically attempting to silence us.
See also: Who are Youth Demand?
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20:24 , Daniel KeaneThanks for joining us with our live updates.
View: Young People Emerge at Pro-Palestinian Demonstration
20:01 , Daniel KeaneFemale protester criticises police
19:40A lady who claimed she was apprehended by law enforcement officers due to her participation in protests addressed a enthusiastic gathering, denouncing the Met's handling of activists.
She stated, "I’m not fine; hearing police sirens causes me to panic."
"My cell was freezing, they traumatised a bunch of young women, we will be back, they can never take away our voices."
It wasn't clear which demonstration the woman was talking about, where she claimed to have been arrested.
A counter-protester says the slogans were 'antisemitic and insulting.'
19:13 , Daniel KeaneA person who described himself as a counter-protester stated that he found the slogans to be "anti-Semitic, disturbing, and objectionable."
"As a Jewish individual residing in London, when they disturb this city, I will oppose it," he stated to the Standard.
People at the protest could be overheard requesting officers to ensure that those opposing their demonstration did not get close to the event’s location.
Opposing protesters yell back
18:57 , Megan HoweOpponents yell out objections during the speeches that emphasize unity against the government’s moves supporting Israel.
Police have intervened to keep order between the two groups.
A flag has been raised to shield against a small group of counter-protesters holding signs that read "London says no to terrorists."
"We aim to demonstrate unity against a government that is aggressively attempting to silence us," states the protester.
18:53 , Megan HoweArthur, aged 24, who became part of the Youth movement a year ago and currently serves as a spokesperson, voiced worries about how the government views the demonstrations.
Talking with our correspondent Josh Butler at the location, Arthur recounted the moment when law enforcement "stormed into" a Quaker gathering that took place the previous week and "collected" everyone present.
“It’s astonishing, it’s incredible, yet it’s also somewhat expected,” he stated to The Standard.
What we aim to demonstrate here is unity, opposing a government that is frantically attempting to silence us.
Arthur grabbed a megaphone and joined the speakers addressing a gathering of about 50 people, with drums pounding and cheers echoing through the air.
It is our responsibility to push back.
18:50 , Megan HoweActivists assembled in Bloomsbury were spotted carrying signs and shouting "Resist to Exist" and "UK Government Choose Sides: Justice or Genocide." This evening protest was organized to urge the UK government to implement a complete trade ban against Israel.
Youth Demand protest is about to begin
18:28 , Megan HoweThe "Shut it Down for Palestine" demonstration in Malet Street is set to start shortly.
Youth Demand claim it is the initial installment in a sequence of protests It will take place throughout April, causing a "shutdown" of the capital through methods like "swarming" and roadblocks.
Since the Quaker House raid, more protesters have registered.
17:35 , Megan HoweYouth Demand asserts that up to 200 individuals have shown interest in participating in future actions after a police operation took place at a Quaker meeting house.
It comes as over 30 officers attended a welcoming speech hosted at the Westminster Meeting House around 7:30 PM on Thursday, as reported by Youth Demand.
Six females were taken into custody, and the Quaker community denounced the raid as a forceful infringement upon their house of worship.
According to The Guardian, Youth Demands has stated that the attention drawn from the raid has heightened awareness of their initiatives, with up to 200 individuals expressing interest in participating in upcoming demonstrations.
Check out: Who are Youth Demand?
17:14 , Daniel KeaneProtests will be held every Thursday and Saturday in April.
17:13 , Megan HoweBeginning tonight, Youth Demand gatherings will be held every Thursday and Saturday throughout April.
Tonight at 6:30 PM, demonstrators will gather at the Senate House Library located on Malet Street. The following day, they plan to reconvene at 11 AM at Lincoln's Inn Fields.
What occurred during past Youth Demand protests?
15:47 , Megan HoweYoung people started demonstrating last summer.
Initially, the protests involved activists covering the Labour Party headquarters in red paint, spray-painting the Ministry of Defence, and obstructing traffic on Waterloo Bridge.
In last October, demonstrators hung an image of a Gaza-based mother with her child over The glass case displaying Picasso’s 1901 artwork 'Motherhood (La Maternité)' at the National Gallery near Trafalgar Square .
Another previous demonstration by Youth Demand included three people hanging a banner and laying rows of children’s shoes outside Sir Keir Starmer’s home in April last year.
Leonorah Ward, who is 21 years old, Zosia Lewis, aged 23, and Daniel Formentin, 24, were all given suspended jail terms as a result of the incident.
Who are Youth Demand?
15:26 , Megan HoweThe protest group Youth Demand has warned they will 'bring London to a halt' as they launch a series of planned events beginning today.
Activists claim this will be their "most extensive act of civil disobedience to date," following the arrest of six Youth Demand activists last week for allegedly conspiring to create a public disturbance at a Quaker site.
Who exactly are Youth Demand and what drives them to protest?
A group called Youth Demand, which bills itself as "a new youth resistance movement aiming to halt genocide," started engaging in civil disobedience actions in 2024.
The organization is pushing for two main requirements: halt all commerce with Israel and to make the rich pay By raising £1 trillion by 2030 from the ultra-wealthy and fossil fuel magnates to compensate communities and nations affected by fossil fuel usage.
Young people use nonviolent civil disobedience strategies to advance their goals.
Up until now, the demonstrators assert they have rallied more than a thousand individuals to participate in 60 "protests."
In April 2024, they set up daily blockades across roads in London as part of their civil disobedience movement.
Not long ago, Youth Demand attracted significant media coverage when police from the Metropolitan force conducted a raid at a Quaker meeting house located in Westminster. They arrested six women who were participating in a Youth Demand event there. This action drew criticism from the Quaker community, which viewed the raid as an overly aggressive infringement upon their sacred space for worship.
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