London Marathon disrupted as UK Youth Demand protesters storm Tower Bridge

Activists stormed the London landmark at 10:30am and threw bright pink powder across the road as the elite runners crossed the River Thames

11:10, 27 Apr 2025Updated 14:05, 27 Apr 2025

[Youth Demand protestors interrupt runners on Tower Bridge during the London Marathon.]

The two supporters were seen wearing t-shirts that read 'Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel'(Image: Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)

Protestors from UK Youth Demand have disrupted the London Marathon's elite men's race with a protest on the city's iconic Tower Bridge.

Activists stormed the London landmark at 10:30am and threw bright pink powder across the road as the elite runners crossed the River Thames. Pictures taken at the scene show protestors being tackled by stewards, and led away from the course.

Youth Demand said the pair were arrested.

The two supporters were seen wearing t-shirts that read 'Youth Demand: Stop Arming Israel. City of London police quickly moved to arrest the two of them. Before taking action with fellow protester Cristy North, Willow Holland, 18, from Bristol, said: "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.

[London, UK. A race official tries to remove Youth Demand activists as they throw red powder as the men's Elite runners cross Tower Bridge during the London Marathon. ]

UK Youth Demand disrupted the protest(Image: Peter Macdiarmid/LNP)

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

Profit should never be prioritised over basic decency, we're taking action for human lives and human rights. We don't want blood on our hands, we don't want to be forced into complicity with a genocide. We need more people in resistance, refusing to be complicit whilst upholding international law, now more than ever."

The vast numbers at today's London Marathon are expected to surpass the roughly 55,646 finishers of the New York Marathon in November, and will be accompanied by thousands more people cheering them on, with massive television coverage following the crowds through the city.

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[ Second placed Tomoki Suzuki of Team Japan, first placed Marcel Hug of Team Switzerland and third placed Jetze Plat of Team Netherlands pose for a photo after the Men's Wheelchair T53/T54 race ]

More than 56,000 people are expected to complete the 26.2 mile course(Image: Getty Images)

Live coverage of the race started at 8.30 this morning, and BBC One will carry the main race until around 2pm, when it will switch to BBC Two.

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