Protestors have been arrested in London on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance by disrupting the state opening of parliament.
Members of the group Youth Demand had planned to demonstrate against the incoming government's stance on Gaza, and Westminster's handling of climate change.
Last week it called for supporters to assemble at Victoria Embankment Gardens on Wednesday morning in protest over Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war.
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On social media the Metropolitan Police said: “Last week, Youth Demand said they planned to disrupt the event.
“An hour ago, officers arrested 10 of them in Westminster on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.
“A further 20 to 25 have now gathered in Victoria Embankment Gardens and further arrests are being made.”
Youth Demand says on its website: "Tories or Labour, it all means genocide. They both back UK weapons being used to slaughter children in Gaza. They both want more oil drilling, knowing it will starve hundreds of millions and destroy crops.
"Young people are not stupid. We see through the bulls***, and we demand better: an immediate two-way arms embargo on Israel and an end to all new oil and gas licences in the UK.
"Until these demands are met, we will be in non-violent resistance against this rigged political system and the people with blood on their hands."
A Youth Demand Spokesperson said: "When political leaders don't have the guts or the moral backbone to lift a finger for the people of Palestine after months of public outcry, it becomes clear how broken our political system is. Meanwhile the police protect those in power making the decisions that are destroying people's lives."
“It is increasingly obvious to ordinary people that the only way we are going to see meaningful change is through civil disobedience. The government must protect life here and abroad by seeing an immediate halt to weapons trading with Israel and an immediate cancellation of all fossil fuel licences granted by the Tories since 2021."
One of the arrested protestors said: "Our leaders hide behind pomp and ceremony whilst a genocide is going on, and our new government are refusing to take action beyond making meaningless platitudes. Young people will not allow yet another government to continue 'business as usual', when that business is killing countless people.”
“Labour have an opportunity to stand for what is right, they must stop allowing the UK to profit from the deaths of children in Gaza, by immediately halting all weapons trading with Israel and they must reverse the fossil fuel projects green-lit by the Tories which are endangering hundreds of millions of lives, both here and around the world.”
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