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Nottingham carer tries to disrupt London Marathon with powder protest

A protester from Nottingham was among two people who tried to disrupt the London Marathon by throwing red powder on Tower Bridge seconds before the men’s elite runners passed.

The pro-Palestinian demonstrators climbed the barriers at 10.35am and scattered the substance while calling for a trade embargo on Israel.

Both represented a group called Youth Demand. One of them, Cristy North, was identified as a 35-year-old a live-in carer from Nottingham. The other was Willow Holland, 18, and from Bristol.

Both were quickly removed from the route by race volunteers and the City of London Police. They were later arrested on suspicion of causing a public nuisance. The action appeared to have no impact on the race itself.

Organisers called the act “very disappointing”.

In a video released by the group before the protest, Ms North said: “The people in Palestine are running out of time. We have tried all other avenues to get the government to stop arming Israel.”

The BBC TV feed of the race cut away from the protesters as they jumped the barriers and cut back to the elite men’s race moments after the leaders had crossed the bridge.

A spokesperson from Youth Demand said: “This is a race against time: Gaza is running out of food. Millions of starving Palestinians are being bombed with UK complicity.”

They added Cristy North and Willow Holland were both released on bail later on Sunday.

Hugh Brasher, chief executive officer of London Marathon Events, said: “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.”

Ethiopian Tigst Assefa won the women’s elite race, setting a new women-only world record with a time of two hours, 15 minutes and 50 seconds.

Sebastian Sawe, from Kenya, won gold in the men’s elite race with a time of two hours, two minutes and 27 seconds.

Around 56,000 people in total took part in Sunday’s race.