Pro-Palestine demonstrators throw red powder paint at London Marathon

Demonstrators calling for a trade embargo on Israel have thrown red powder paint over Tower Bridge during the London Marathon.

Youth Demand said two of its supporters jumped over the barriers and threw the substance in front of the men’s elite race at around 10.35am.

An image shared by the group shows two people standing in the middle of the road wearing t-shirts that said: “Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel.”

It added: “City of London police quickly moved to arrest the pair.”

Youth Demand named the two activists as Willow Holland, 18, from Bristol, and Cristy North, a live-in carer from Nottingham.

Miss Holland was quoted by the group as saying: “I am taking action with Youth Demand because I have run out of other options: thousands are being killed in Gaza, our Government is making no effort to stop it and no other course of action, marches or rallies, has worked.

“I refuse to be complicit in a genocide funded by our politicians.”

Youth Action said the demonstration came after the UN’s World Food Programme (WFP) announced its food stocks in Gaza have been completely “depleted” by Israel’s blockade.

According to the group, Ms North said: “I’m taking action today at the London marathon because the people in Palestine are running out of time.

“We have tried all other avenues to get the Government to stop arming Israel and yet our Government is still enabling a genocide.

“They are making the UK people complicit in breaking UK domestic law by using our taxes to arm a genocidal state, breaking humanitarian international law.”

The BBC TV feed cut to the elite men’s race moments after the leaders had crossed Tower Bridge and there appeared to be no impact on the race.

More than 56,000 participants are expected on the 26.2-mile course through the capital on Saturday for the 45th TCS London Marathon.

The London Marathon has been approached for comment.