Around 65 activists gathered at Brunswick Square Gardens at around 11am before splitting into two groups and blocking traffic on Euston Road near King’s Cross station at 12.15pm.
The groups could be seen holding signs saying “Youth Demand an End to Genocide” and “Stop Arming Israel”, while waving green flares as they blocked the road for around 10 minutes.
Police officers arrived shortly after and issued the group with a warning under Section 7 of the Public Order Act.
Just over an hour later at 1.30pm Youth Demand protesters again split into two groups and blocked further routes in central London.
One group of protesters blocked Old Street Junction until around 1.55pm, while another group of 20 activists took action at Baker Street for around half an hour.
Youth Demand, an offshoot of Just Stop Oil’s youth wing, has demanded the UK government impose a full arms and trade embargo on Israel and immediately halt the development of new oil and gas projects.
The group, which describes itself as leaderless but guided by a "strategy team", said politicians had committed a “betrayal of our generation,” and warned of an “unimaginable outbreak of collective power, creativity, love and defiance.”
Youth Demand hit the headlines recently after six of its female supporters were arrested at a Quaker meeting house in central London — the first such arrests at a Quaker site in living memory, according to the faith group.
Quakers in Britain condemned the move as an “aggressive violation” after Metropolitan Police officers detained the women at Westminster Meeting House on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance.
Read More
.jpeg?trim=0,125,0,278&quality=75&auto=webp&width=320&crop=8:5,smart)
More than 30 officers were said to have been involved in the arrests, which police said were linked to concerns over plans to “shut down” London this month using disruptive tactics.
Protesters shout 'justice for genocide'
Youth Demand activists were moved on by police officers during its pro-Palestinian rally in central London.
The campaigners began gathering at Lincoln’s Inn Fields and made their way to King’s Cross station.
Some held banners which read “stop arming Israel” while others let off green-coloured flares before being moved along by the Metropolitan Police.
Youth Demand said its supporters divided into two groups and at around 12.15pm a group of 40 blocked traffic on Euston Road near King’s Cross.
Scotland issued the protesters with a warning under section seven of the Public Order Act, Youth Demand said, and the group moved on after 10 minutes.
No arrests were made.
Youth Demand 'action' meeting offering 'legal advice' to newcomers
Youth Rebellion advertised on social media they are hosting an in-person ‘action training and briefing’ session at Golden Lane Community Centre, which is adjacent to the Barbican in the City of London.
The group states: “These briefings are key for getting all the info you need to join us in the streets — hear the plan, get legal, support, and accessibility info, and find out how you get involved!”
It comes after Youth Demand told The Guardian that as many as 200 people have expressed interest in joining in upcoming action following the recent police raid at a Quaker meeting house.
Youth Demand protest is about to begin
Youth Demand’s ‘Swarming Action’ protest at Lincoln’s Inn Fields is scheduled to begin shortly.
We will bring you details from the gathering when we can.
Youth Demand 'targeted with 150 arrests since inception'
Youth Demand spokesperson Chiara Sarti claims that since the group was launched, its members have been targeted with 150 arrests.
“This kind of police repression is just part of life now,” the PhD student at the University of Cambridge told the Middle Eastern Eye website.
What has happened at previous Youth Demand protests in London?
Youth Demand began protesting last summer, with many of their stunts occurring in London.
Early action included activists painting the Labour Party headquarters in Southwark red, spraying the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall with paint, and blocking Waterloo Bridge.
Last October, protesters plastered a photo of a Gazan mother and child over the glass of Picasso’s 1901 painting ‘Motherhood (La Maternité) at the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square.
Another previous demonstration in the capital included three people hanging a banner and laying rows of children’s shoes outside Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s Kentish Town home in April last year.
Leonorah Ward, 21, Zosia Lewis, 23, and Daniel Formentin, 24, were each handed suspended prison sentences following the incident.
Rallies to take place every Thursday and Saturday in April
Youth Demand rallies are taking place every Thursday and Saturday in April.
The first rally commenced this week, when protesters gathered at Senate House Library on Malet Street, Bloomsbury.
Today, the group are scheduled to meet again at 11am at Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn.
Protest group at centre of Quaker house arrests
Recently, Youth Demand gained media attention when Metropolitan Police officers raided a Quaker meeting house in Westminster, arresting six women attending a Youth Demand gathering. The raid was condemned by the Quaker community as an aggressive violation of their place of worship.
Who are Youth Demand?
Youth Demand has vowed to “shut down” London by swarming the capital’s roads and holding demonstrations during a month-long period of action in April.