Gaza activists Youth Demand jump in front of London Marathon elite runners on Tower Bridge to disrupt race

27 April 2025, 11:00 | Updated: 28 April 2025, 08:25

Gaza activists from the Youth Demand group have jumped in front of London Marathon runners on Tower Bridge.

The two activists jumped in front of the men's elite group as they crossed the central London bridge on Sunday morning at around 10.30.

They were wearing 'Stop Arming Israel' t-shirts and threw red powder paint as they entered the race route.

The pair were quickly hauled off the central London bridge and arrested by City of London police.

Youth Demand are linked to Just Stop Oil, the environmental group who held their final event on Saturday.

It is unclear how much disruption the activists managed to create, as footage shows running by seemingly unperturbed.

Hugh Brasher, chief executive of London Marathon Events, said afterwards: "It's very disappointing that two people attempted to disrupt the London Marathon which does so much good, raises so many millions for charity, brings so much joy and brings communities together.

"Our staff and the police intervened immediately and the event was not impacted in any way."

The men's elite race was later won by the Kenyan athlete Sabastian Sawe, with the Tigst Assefa finishing first in the women's race.

A member of marathon event staff intervened to remove the protesters and the race passed unobstructed, the Metropolitan Police said.

It added: "He was quickly supported by police officers who arrested the protesters on suspicion of causing a public nuisance.

"They remain in custody.

"The paint appears to be chalk-based and is not expected to present a hazard to runners yet to pass this point".

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.

London could set a new record for the world's biggest marathon, which is currently held by the TCS New York Marathon in November when there were 55,646 finishers.