Time’s up for the government to stop Israel arms exports – as group vows to ‘disrupt London’

A youth-led protest group has threatened to “disrupt London” unless the government stops all arms export licences to Israel. However, the ‘youth demand’ is time-constrained – and the clock is ticking before time is up.

Stop arming Israel says Youth Demand

Youth Demand is a recently-formed direct action group. It not only focuses on the climate crisis, but has also be taking action over Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza. For example, Palestine Action and Youth Demand teamed up to paint the MoD headquarters in London, while other supporters marched through the capital, on Wednesday 10 April.

They were demanding an end to the MoD contracts with Israel’s largest weapons firm, Elbit Systems and an end to all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK, including revoking oil and gas licences issued since 2021:

However, now Youth Demand are taking things a big step further.

As the group announced on X, it gave the UK government one week from 23 May to stop all arms licences to Israel. As the Canary previously reported Spain, Canada, Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands have all paused arms licenses or shipments to Israel over fears that they may be used in violation of international humanitarian law.

So now, that week is just about up. Youth Demand noted that if the government didn’t comply:

we will be disrupting London every Saturday, beginning on the 1st [June]

To the UK government, you have one week to commit to imposing an arms embargo on Israel.

Otherwise, we will be disrupting London every Saturday, beginning on the 1st. Join us in Jubilee Gardens at 12PM. See you there. pic.twitter.com/nol7EMODxY

— Youth Demand (@youth_demand) May 23, 2024

Time is up

So it seems that the disruption will go ahead. It is unclear at this point exactly what this will look like. However, the group is saying that on 1 June:

In Jubilee Gardens at 12PM we will be meeting to take action, because we cannot allow the Israeli State to continue murdering every child, parent, sibling and grandparent in Palestine, while our government lets them.

The group said on its website that the Tories and Labour are “fully backing the live-streamed genocide of Palestinians in Gaza”. To this end, Youth Demand is adamant it has to act. If you agree, join them in Jubilee Gardens on 1 June at 12pm. With Israel continuing its slaughter in Gaza, someone has to act.

Featured image and additional images via Youth Demand