Protesters accused of planning to disrupt State Opening of Parliament arrested

Supporters of protest group Youth Demand have been arrested in central London after they announced plans to disrupt the State Opening of Parliament.

The Metropolitan Police said 10 activists were arrested in Westminster on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance on Wednesday morning.

Further arrests were taking place in Victoria Embankment Gardens where up to 25 more demonstrators had gathered.

This followed a protest by the group, which is calling for action on climate change as well as an end to the sale of UK weapons to Israel, near the Cenotaph on Monday.

Youth Demand said that the 10 protesters were arrested in a branch of Leon at around 9.15am, after which demonstrators who planned to march towards Parliament were detained.

A 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.”

Youth Demand announced on X, formerly Twitter, last week that it planned to disrupt the State Opening of Parliament.

In the first of a series of entries, the group said: “Keir Starmer has called for a ceasefire. But we need actions, not words.

“That’s why Youth Demand will disrupt the State Opening of Parliament.”

It went on to say: “We disrupt because it is our duty to fight back in every way we non-violently can, and because we refuse to despair, but instead are full of hope that another way is possible.”