Youth Demand take action at the Cenotaph – threatening to disrupt state opening of parliament too

Two Youth Demand supporters have laid flowers and a Palestinian flag at the Cenotaph, to commemorate the thousands killed in Israel’s genocidal assault on Gaza. Youth Demand are calling for a two-way arms embargo on Israel and for the new UK government to halt all new oil and gas licences granted since 2021. However, before that the group has also said it will be disrupting the state opening of parliament.

Youth Demand at the Cenotaph: never again?

At around midday on 15 July, the two Youth Demand supporters laid a Palestinian flag and white flowers at the Cenotaph. White flowers are traditionally seen as a symbol of peace and of anti-war sentiment. The pair then displayed signs which read: ‘Never Again for Anyone’ and ‘Stop Arming Israel’:

🚨 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 pair used washable chalk paint to write ‘180,000 dead’ on the tarmac in front of the monument, in reference to a recent report in the Lancet which warns the death toll in Gaza may be significantly higher than the figures commonly reported:

Cops arrested them for ‘criminal damage’ to the pavement apparently – if you were wondering what rabbit hold the UK had gone down today. Also down there was veteran’s minister Alistair Carns, who posted on X about this “abhorrent”, chalk-based “vandalism” of tarmac:

The Cenotaph is special for all of us!
“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.”

— Al Carns (@AlistairCarns) July 15, 2024

One of those taking action at the cenotaph was Olivia Burnett, 22, from Leeds, who 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 direspecting this legacy by being complicit in genocide and allowing arms to be sold to Israel.

The Lancet journal has said that the real long-term death toll in Gaza could be over 180,000, due to destruction of hospitals as well as clean water and food sources. The government must commit to an arms embargo now! That is why Youth Demand will be disrupting the state opening of parliament. Join us at 9:30 am on Wednesday 17 July at Victoria Embankment Gardens.

Also taking action is Esther Akatwijuka, 20, a student from Bristol, 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 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.

Enough already

After the cenotaph protest, Youth Demand will be taking further action in Central London this week to demand the UK government take action to protect life here and abroad by immediately cancelling all oil and gas licences granted by the Tories since 2021, whilst ensuring that the UK stops all weapons trading with Israel.

Youth Demand will disrupt the state opening of parliament on 17 July, and are calling on those disgusted by the atrocities unfolding in Gaza to stand with them and to meet at 9:30 am on Wednesday at Victoria Embankment Gardens.

The group said in a statement:

Today’s action comes after a report was issued in the respected journal ‘The Lancet’, which warns the death toll in Gaza may be significantly higher than the death figures commonly circulated. The authors state that indirect deaths as a result of conflict can equate to far higher numbers than those killed as a direct result of bullets and bombs. Indirect deaths as a result of conflict can range from three to 15 times the number of direct deaths.

Applying a conservative estimate of four indirect deaths per one direct deaths to the 37,396 deaths reported, it is not implausible to estimate that up to 186,000 or even more deaths could be attributable to the current conflict in Gaza.

Featured image via Youth Demand