About 40 Youth Demand protesters were told to move on by the police during a pro-Palestinian rally in central London on Saturday.
The campaigners began gathering at Lincoln’s Inn Fields on Saturday morning and made their way to King’s Cross station.
The action is part of Youth Demand’s plans for demonstrations every Tuesday and Saturday in April. Some protesters held banners which read “Stop arming Israel” while others let off green flares before being moved along by the Metropolitan police.
Youth Demand said its supporters divided into two groups and, at about 12.15pm, a group of 40 people blocked traffic on Euston Road near King’s Cross.
The Met 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, according to Scotland Yard.
A Met spokesperson previously said: “Youth Demand have stated an intention to ‘shut down’ London over the month of April using tactics including ‘swarming’ and road blocks.
“While we absolutely recognise the importance of the right to protest, we have a responsibility to intervene to prevent activity that crosses the line from protest into serious disruption and other criminality.”
Last Thursday, six people from Youth Demand were arrested at a Quaker House meeting on suspicion of conspiracy to cause a public nuisance. More than 20 uniformed police, some equipped with Tasers, forced their way into the Westminster meeting house.
However, Youth Demand said the publicity surrounding the raid had had the effect of increasing awareness of their activities, and has resulted in a large number of people signing up to join.
Source: theguardian.com
