Protesters Disrupt London Marathon Over Gaza Conflict

The London Marathon was disrupted when two activists from the group Youth Demand, identified as Willow Holland and Cristy North, threw powder paint on Tower Bridge during the men’s elite race to protest UK arms sales to Israel and highlight the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The protest briefly halted the race before the activists were quickly arrested by City of London police, with footage showing that most runners were able to continue with minimal disruption. Youth Demand, linked to other civil resistance and environmental groups, called for an end to UK military cooperation with Israel and urged mass civil resistance, citing ongoing civilian deaths and a worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. The protest drew attention to broader criticism of the UK government’s role in the Israel-Gaza conflict and was staged as part of a campaign to pressure politicians to halt arms exports. The London Marathon later resumed as planned, with coverage continuing and participants largely unaffected.