Youth Demand protesters have disrupted the men’s elite race at the London Marathon.
Two activists stormed onto Tower Bridge and threw bright pink powder in the air and across the road as the elite runners crossed the River Thames on Sunday morning.
Dramatic footage shows the moment an official on the back of a motorbike swiftly jumps off the vehicle to tackle the protesters to the ground and drag them back into the crowd.
Eight Metropolitan Police officers then scrambled to detain the pair, jumping over the crowd barrier and surrounding them as they continued to throw the powder in the air.
Youth Demand, an offshoot of Just Stop Oil, are a protest group who have vowed to ‘shut down’ London this summer. The group is made up of Just Stop Oil alumni, students and Gen Z activists.
Their latest demonstration took place in the middle of the men’s elite race, in which the likes of Eliud Kipchoge, known as the greatest marathon runner of all time, is chasing a fifth victory in London.
A record number of people are also taking part in the London Marathon today – including a host of celebrities and MPs.
More than 56,000 runners are set to make the gruelling 26.2 mile journey through London on a sunny day in the capital, with temperatures of up to 22C.
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.
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.