Three Youth Demand supporters arrested for holding signs outside the BBC

This is a statement from Youth Demand a youth resistance campaign fighting for an end to genocide, demanding a two-way arms embargo on Israel and an end to all oil and gas projects licensed since 2021. 

Three Youth Demand supporters have defied Metropolitan police restrictions on the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign demonstration today by standing outside the BBC with signs. 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.

At around 4:00pm, the three were arrested under Section 14 of the Public Order Act after marching to the BBC and standing on the pavement with signs, defying the conditions imposed on the protest by the Met. One Youth Demand supporter was holding a sign saying ‘Can I protest here?’, another held a completely blank sign.

A Youth Demand spokesperson said:

“The BBC heralds itself as an institution built on truth, but it has treated genocide like a matter of opinion. We see the BBCs previous and ongoing complicity in the destruction of Palestine, and we recognise that when our institutions fail us it is down to the people to tell the truth

“We will not comply with the repressive conditions imposed by the Met police in order to silence dissent and protect the interests of a genocidal state. Our government is complicit in the genocide of the Palestinian people and we refuse to stand by and watch it happen. On February 1st, we will announce our plan to take resistance to a whole new level. 

“Our spineless politicians have armed Israel for 15 months and now want us to go home and forget about Gaza, but we will not forget their crimes. It’s time for all of us to escalate our resistance and to fight for nothing less than full liberation.”

On Wednesday the genocidal Israeli regime finally submitted to international pressure and agreed to a ceasefire in Gaza. On the same day, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign called for “defiance” of the Metropolitan police ban on their demonstration and said they would not go back on their commitment to hold march in support of the Palestinian people, and against Israeli genocide. After negotiations with the police, the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign finally agreed to the demand of the police of a static assembly. Since agreeing to a ceasefire, Israeli Defense Forces have continued to drop bombs, killing over 100 Palestinians.

A ceasefire agreement is nowhere near Palestinian liberation. This ludicrous display of repression proves that the government believes we are a threat. So in 2025, we go big. Join other young people in resistance and hear the plan for our next wave of defiance on February 1st.