Youth Demand is planning to target the British Museum and other London landmarks as part of a major new plot to ‘shutdown’ the city for an entire month.
The militant pro-Palestine and eco-activist group have said that ‘hundreds and hundreds’ of people will descend on England’s capital and ‘block’ roads and junctions every single day for the entirety of April.
They hope to overwhelm the justice system by clogging the courts and costing the police ‘millions of pounds’ in shifts.
Their latest plans to ‘swarm’ London were announced at a strategy launch event in the City at the start of the month.
An undercover reporter who attended the meeting was told by a leading activist that the British Museum was one of a number of landmarks protesters planned to target.
Boasting to around 100 young people at Limehouse Town Hall, Youth Demand leader Sam Holland, 22, said: ‘Just one swarm team last summer cost the Met police £25,000.
Youth Demand – an offshoot of Just Stop Oil – is planning to target the British Museum and other London landmarks as part of a major new plot to ‘shutdown’ the city for an entire month
Chiara Saarti, 24, is is one of the core leaders who is also doing their PhD at Cambridge University
‘If we do 10 actions a day for a month straight it will cost the city millions of pounds.
‘We’re disrupting until they meet our demands.
‘We’re not [just] protesting, we’re resisting and forcing change from the government.’
The controversial group intends to use a technique known as ‘swarming’ to block the streets without being rooted to a specific location in London.
They claim this makes it more difficult for police to arrest participants as activists will disperse when approached by the authorities before regrouping in a new location.
Teams from across the country will travel to London on rotation in a nationally coordinated effort to flood the capital’s streets.
In a post on Telegram – an encrypted messaging site – shared to more than 1,100 Youth Demand supporters across Britain it states: ‘With your help, we will shut it down for Palestine and those suffering across the world.
‘Let’s make history together.’
To fund the month-long protest Youth Demand are hoping to raise around £75,000 from big ticket donors and individuals to cover costs such as living expenses for full-time activists, accommodation for protesters, legal support and posters.
At the weekend’s event, around 100 participants were encouraged by the group’s leadership to donate on the spot.
Sam Holland, 22, one of the core leaders, was meat with huge applause after he announced plans to disrupt the capital
To whoops, cheers and a huge round of applause Holland – a graduate from the University of Leeds and full-time activist – added: ‘If the police arrest us are we going to pack up and go home? In the face of absolute evil with killings across the world? In the face of genocide?
‘Obviously not right, we are going to carry on again and again and again.
‘We’re not going to let police pressure and intimidation stop us from resisting.
‘We are in this for life. This is our life. We’re not doing this based on outcomes, we’re doing this because it’s the right thing to do.’
Youth Demand – an offshoot of Just Stop Oil – is campaigning for the British Government to impose a complete trade embargo on Israel and make the ‘super rich’ pay £1 trillion in climate damages to the Global South.
Previously, supporters of the group have vandalised the Ministry of Defence and Labour HQ with red paint, blocked roads in London with slow march protests and spray painted the road in front of the cenotaph.
Youth Demand is campaigning for the British Government to impose a complete trade embargo on Israel and make the ‘super rich’ pay £1 trillion in climate damages to the Global South.
The two-day meeting was spent discussing how to effectively execute their strategy for April
Previously, supporters of the group have spray painted the road in front of the cenotaph
They have also vandalised the Ministry of Defence building with red paint
A spokesperson for the British Museum said: ‘While the British Museum respects the right for people to express their views and protest peacefully, we are clear that it must not compromise the safety of visitors, our staff, and the collection.
‘Free and open access to museums and galleries is a benefit available to everyone, and protest action like this compromises that access for the millions who enjoy London’s museums every year.’
The Met police added: ‘The Metropolitan Police will always look to facilitate lawful protest.
‘However, we must balance the right to protest while allowing Londoners to go about their daily business without disruption.
‘Everyone has a right to feel safe and be safe in London. Those who abuse the right to protest can expect to face police action.’
Youth Demand have been contacted for comment.
