Two anti-Israel activists arrested after protest at UK’s Cenotaph war memorial
Youth Demand members spray ‘180,000 killed’ on ground at base of London monument, in protest calling for British arms, oil and gas embargo against Israel
UK police on Monday arrested two anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian demonstrators after a protest at Britain’s Cenotaph war memorial in central London related to the ongoing war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
A Palestinian flag was laid in front of the Cenotaph and “180,000 killed” was spray-painted on the ground in front of the monument, photos and video footage showed.
Youth Demand, the group that organized the stunt, posted a video of its activists at the Cenotaph on social media platform X.
“Never again means never again,” wrote the group, which calls for an arms embargo against Israel. “Everything that the cenotaph stands for is contrary to the Labour government allowing companies to profit from genocide.”
The Cenotaph is the focus every year of national events to commemorate Britain’s war dead.
“Two women were quickly arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and are in custody,” the Metropolitan Police said on X, adding that damage was caused to the road and not to the monument itself.
???? BREAKING: YOUTH DEMAND LAY PALESTINE FLAG & PAINT NEXT TO CENOTAPH
Never again means never again. Everything that the cenotaph stands for is contrary to the Labour government allowing companies to profit from genocide.
Help us take action ->https://t.co/Fyk6gk3Y3j pic.twitter.com/zrGYH1pccw
— Youth Demand (@youth_demand) July 15, 2024
The war in Gaza erupted on October 7 when the Palestinian terror group Hamas led a devastating cross-border attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people. Israel responded with a military campaign to destroy Hamas, topple its Gaza regime, and free the 251 people who were abducted by terrorists and taken to Gaza as hostages.
The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry says more than 38,000 people in the Strip have been killed or are presumed dead in the fighting so far, though the toll cannot be verified and does not differentiate between civilians and fighters. Israel says it has killed some 15,000 combatants in battle and some 1,000 terrorists inside Israel during the October 7 attack.
The UK’s Daily Mail suggested the figure of 180,000 was apparently a reference to a recent report from The Lancet that speculated that the number of Palestinians killed in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip may be much higher than reported figures.
“This monument reminds us of those who gave their lives fighting a genocide, and that ‘never again’ means never again for anyone,” one of the protesters, Olivia Burnett, 22, from Leeds, told the Mail. “Labour is disrespecting this legacy by being complicit in genocide and allowing arms to be sold to Israel.”
In a statement, Youth Demand said its supporters had taken action to “commemorate the thousands killed in Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza.”
It said Youth Demand was calling for a two-way arms embargo on Israel and for the new UK government to halt all new oil and gas licenses granted since 2021.
Supporters planned to disrupt the State Opening of Parliament by head of state King Charles III on Wednesday, it added.
Britain’s newly appointed Veterans Minister Alistair Carns condemned the incident as “abhorrent.”
“No matter what is happening in the world, the Cenotaph must be respected,” he wrote on X. “It stands in memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.”
Youth Demand last month staged a protest at the constituency home of former prime minister Rishi Sunak. Four men were arrested on that occasion during which one was videoed as he pretended to defecate in the prime minister’s pond.
