Youth Demand mark Remembrance Day with nationwide disruption over Israel’s genocide in Gaza

Direct action campaign group Youth Demand has marked Remembrance Day, Monday 11 November, by reminding us that currently Israel is slaughtering countless people in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. They did it at the Cenotaph and around England.

Youth Demand Remembrance Day action

Supporters of Youth Demand laid a wreath at the cenotaph, whilst other groups have been swarming in British cities to call for an end to genocide. Youth Demand are campaigning for a two-way arms embargo on Israel and for the UK government to halt all new oil and gas licences granted since 2021.

At around 2:30 supporters of Youth Demand laid a wreath at the Cenotaph to, the group said, “commemorate those who fell in battle resisting genocide”, and to call on the government to respect the sacrifice of those who died by ending the support for the ongoing mass murder of Palestinians:

They could be seen holding a banner which read ‘Lammy Stop Arming Genocide’:

Youth Demand supporters have also been disrupting the traffic in British cities today, in order to call for an immediate arms embargo.

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 this morning, supporters of Youth Demand swarmed the streets at two locations in Manchester:

Police issued warnings under Section 50 of the Police Reform Act 2002 and took details of all participants, warning the supporters would be arrested if they attempted to enter the road again:

The government ‘disgraces veterans’ memory’

A Youth Demand spokesperson said:

On this day we remember those who gave their lives fighting a genocide. Yet the government disgraces their memory by continuing to sell UK made weapons to a state guilty of committing genocide and ethnic cleansing.

The world said ‘never again’ would we allow such atrocities to happen, and yet it is happening again right now to the people of Gaza, whilst the Western political establishment and media continue to misdirect the public about what is transpiring. Regardless of our differences we must come together to demand our political leaders take the basic steps to protect the lives of innocent people, or we will have truly lost our humanity.

One of those taking action today is Lia-Anjali Lazarus, 20, a languages and politics student from London, who said:

Never again means never again for anyone. Our government honoring those who fell resisting genocide, whilst also selling arms to a state committing genocide is beyond hypocritical. I feel obliged to take action as it is clear our government will not cut arms ties with Israel without pressure and demand from the general public.

We are seeing the mass slaughter of Palestinian people and we are seeing killer floods in Spain. These crises are a direct result of our leaders prioritising profit over human lives, be it by selling weapons or continuing to drill for oil and gas. We demand it stops now.

A genocide is happening right now

Also taking action in Manchester today is Jazz Dean, a care worker from Manchester, who said:

We don’t want to be disrupting people’s day, but when there is a genocide happening and innocent civilians are losing their lives day after day we cannot stand by. Direct action works, this is why we’re doing it. Our government is complicit in genocide. They continue to buy and sell weapons with Israel. We know what those weapons are used for and that is why we must act.

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. Sign up for the national week of action starting today at https://youthdemand.org”.

Featured image and additional images via Youth Demand