Supporters of protest group Youth Demand have been arrested in central London after police accused them of planning to disrupt the State Opening of Parliament.
The Metropolitan Police said 10 activists were arrested in Westminster on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance on Wednesday morning.
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Further arrests were taking place in Victoria Embankment Gardens where up to 25 more demonstrators had gathered.
Activists gathered at the park to protest against the ongoing Israel-Gaza conflict.
Two protesters held up a large banner reading “Stop Israel’s Gaza Genocide” while surrounded by a large presence of Metropolitan Police officers in Victoria Embankment Gardens in Westminster.
One of protesters, a woman, was then put in handcuffs and moved away by officers as she shouted “Free Palestine”.
Other protesters could be seen sitting against railings and on walls in the park while surrounded by more officers.
This followed a protest by the group, which is calling for action on climate change as well as an end to the sale of UK weapons to Israel, near the Cenotaph on Monday.
Youth Demand announced on X, formerly Twitter, last week that it planned to disrupt the State Opening of Parliament.
In the first of a series of entries, the group said: “Keir Starmer has called for a ceasefire. But we need actions, not words. That’s why Youth Demand will disrupt the State Opening of Parliament.
It went on to say: “We disrupt because it is our duty to fight back in every way we non-violently can, and because we refuse to despair, but instead are full of hope that another way is possible.”
