Up next in 10
'It's sick': Ben Kentish terminates interview with activist over targeting David Lammy’s house | LBC
Apr 9, 2025
Youth Demand activists laid 'body bags' outside Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s door step on Tuesday.
Spokespeople for the activist group said a pair of activists laid child-sized body bags outside Mr Lammy’s home to represent the 17,400 children who have been killed in Gaza since the October 7 attacks.
The pro-Palestine protesters have been calling on the government to impose a total trade embargo on Israel as well as demonstrating against the ongoing climate crisis.
Ben Kentish is joined by Youth Demand spokesman James Skeet to debate the recent protest.
Listen to the full show on Global Player: https://app.af.globalplayer.com/Br0x/LBCYouTubeListenLive
#Presenter #Subject #LBC
LBC is the home of live debate around news and current affairs in the UK.
Join in the conversation and listen at https://www.lbc.co.uk/
Sign up to LBC’s weekly newsletter here: https://l-bc.co/signup
Show More Show Less View Video Transcript
0:00
For the last 18 months or so, the streets of London have been brought to a halt by anti-Israel protesters marching in there thousands upon thousands, hundreds of thousands at times
0:11
And there has been a debate, hasn't there, as the months have gone on about whether that really should be allowed to stand
0:18
Whether people, some of whom have been arrested for expressing support for terror groups, others have been arrested for incredibly offensive and at times hateful placards, should be allowed to continue shutting down parts of central London every single Saturday
0:36
You might remember Suella Bravman when she was Home Secretary referring to those marches as hate marches
0:42
now from start to finish and I absolutely maintain this I have been quite firm in saying that those marches should be allowed to continue
0:50
that while the police perhaps need to be a bit tougher with the more extreme fringes of some of these groups
0:57
the right to march, the right to protest peacefully is a fundamental democratic right
1:01
so I disagree with the people that say this is outrageous this needs to be brought to a halt
1:06
some protests are disruptive by nature that doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to happen
1:11
That is, to me at least, a legitimate form of protest. What in my mind is not a legitimate form of protest is what we are increasingly seeing and we saw again today
1:22
where demonstrators from a group calling themselves Youth Demand targeted not a public place or parliament or the streets of the capital
1:33
but a person's house, Foreign Secretary David Lammy's house, to be specific
1:38
And this, of course, comes after Keir Starmer and others had their own personal properties targeted in the last year or so
1:46
And I think personally, it's time to say enough is enough. That however legitimate you might think the cause is, however justified your anger, targeting the family homes of our elected leaders is a very, very slippery slope indeed
2:03
For me, that crosses the line from legitimate protest into intimidation and harassment
2:10
And we've got to say enough is enough. That didn't happen in this case, sadly
2:16
The protesters who launched that stunt outside David Lammy's house weren't arrested, we understand
2:21
They were moved on, told not to come back. But no arrests have been made, which to me is absolutely baffling
2:28
Absolutely baffling. If we as a country now think it is completely acceptable for people who don't like what our politicians are doing to go and camp themselves outside their house and in this specific case litter their doorway and their front path and their front garden with children's body bags
2:46
We've got to a very, very bad place indeed, if you ask me. I think it should be illegal and I think people who do it to send a message to others should have the book thrown at them, quite frankly
2:55
I wonder what you think. is this a legitimate form of process
3:01
Is it something that should remain legal as it seems to be
3:05
Or do you share my concern that targeting politicians at parliament, or not targeting, but lobbying politicians at parliament is one thing
3:13
Perhaps even turning up their offices is fine. But when you are littering their own personal family homes
3:21
front gardens with body bags, that is not legitimate protest and we've got to stop pretending it is
3:29
0345 6060 973, the number to call. You can WhatsApp the same number
3:33
Text me on 84850. And if you're shouting at your radio saying, what about the children in Gaza
3:39
I hear you. I hear you loud and clear. But those two things are not linked
3:44
They are not. They are separate issues. You can care passionately about what is going on in Gaza
3:50
You can be appalled even. Perhaps you are at the way that Israel is conducting its actions there
3:55
Maybe you absolutely outraged at the UK government position on this All of that is legitimate That doesn justify intimidating the family and the family home of an elected official in my view
4:10
However justified your causes, there are limits to what we should class as legitimate protests
4:15
And for me, this example crosses that line very, very clearly. What about you
4:21
0345 6060 973. Should this be seen as a legitimate and legal form of protest
4:27
Or does it make you as concerned? And I use that term mildly
4:34
Outrage is how I really feel about this, as it makes me. Come to your thoughts on that in just a couple of minutes' time
4:40
First, though, just have a little listen to what took place outside Foreign Secretary David Lammy's house earlier today
4:46
This is the organisation Youth Demand sitting outside that property this morning
4:51
Primary age school children are the ones most slaughtered by Israel. How can we make them safe in a world which thinks that that is acceptable
5:01
How can our children grow up seeing innocent children slaughtered by weapons made in this country
5:08
To your calls on that in just a moment. Firstly, let's talk to James Skeet this evening, who is a spokesperson for Youth Demand, which carried out that protest today
5:16
James, I understand you weren't yourself part of it, but you are part of the wider group. What was this stunt? Well, let me ask you bluntly. What did this stunt achieve, sir
5:24
Well, it's brought me on your program tonight, hasn't it, Ben? Thanks very much for that intro
5:28
I do think it's really important that we have these sorts of conversations that we actually kind of ground ourselves in actually what the situation is right now
5:36
Right. We're in a situation that since October the 7th, we're looking at 50,000 dead in Palestine
5:40
Right. 17,400 of those are children. 1,720 of those are babies and one year olds
5:49
Right now, the UK is an active participant in in that genocide
5:55
Right. The British military is is fun as a as a fundamental role in facilitating
6:02
What's the British military's role in facilitating? In terms of arms exports, in terms of those come from private companies, in terms of reconnaissance
6:10
They come from private companies. Well, I mean, the fact of the matter is, is that, you know, you David Lammy, as you well know
6:16
admitted in recent weeks that what Israel is carrying out is against international law
6:22
Now, the government might have rolled that back a little bit, but the fact of the matter is that there is a glaring admission
6:28
and he might argue that he's cancelled 10% of arms exports as a result of that
6:34
But my question to you is, does 90% of complicity in genocide
6:40
not still amount to mass murder? We've covered these issues extensively. we will continue to do so because they're very very important
6:47
Well I appreciate that, I'm glad you're talking about it. Well of course we are, the whole media is talking about it
6:51
My question to you though was what did this specific stunt achieve? Because we're already talking about the things that
6:57
it's a bit different to something like Just Stop Oil where you could make the case that there wasn't enough focus
7:02
One thing you cannot accuse the media of is not covering the situation in Gaza enough
7:06
So I ask again, what did you achieve? You know as well as I do that the way that the British media covers this issue
7:12
is really not of describe. You're not answering my question. You don't find well that the way that the Western media frames this issue
7:20
is not actually an accurate representation of what's happening on the ground
7:24
Can we just come back, I'd appreciate you coming back to the question, what did this stunt achieve? Well, it's got me on your programme, hasn't it
7:31
I mean, you know, you folks in the media, you folks in the media are always talking about..
7:35
So it's just self-publicity you're often. You always criticise, you know... So it's just self-promotion
7:40
Is that what you're saying? In public disruption. You do this so you get to do interviews like this
7:45
But you're not answering. Do you want me to finish the question? You're not answering. I can answer the question
7:48
Please do. I appreciate it. You always ask. You know, you folks in the media always have real issue when we, you know
7:55
organisations like Youth Demand disrupt ordinary people. Well you know here a scenario where we haven disrupted an ordinary person We gone and politely sat outside the foreign secretary house This is a man who can with a stroke of a pen he can stop selling weapons
8:12
to a country that is using them on children. Sorry James, I've got to correct you there
8:20
James, you didn't sit outside his house. You covered his front guard and his doorstep and his path
8:26
in children's body bags. Let's just be clear, if you just sun on the pavement as you're making
8:30
out that would be one thing i'd still oppose it you littered his porch and his front garden
8:34
with children's body bags i think that's quite sick like i think you really sort of you need to
8:40
kind of focus on actually what the big the real problem is here right the real problem is that
8:45
17 400 children have been murdered because we've talked about that a lot and we will continue to do
8:51
what is it that you would have us do about that right is it acceptable that we have a leadership
8:56
of this country, that we have people who ultimately work for us
9:00
who are allowing that to happen in our name. Do you think it will change anything
9:05
We have a very simple choice, Ben. Now, we either sit and watch the most horrendous genocide
9:11
carry out, you know, just carry out completely unopposed, or we step up and do something
9:16
Now, I'm not necessarily... At the end of the day, it's an uncomfortable thing to do
9:20
I'm not particularly happy about, you know, sitting outside the Foreign Secretary's house or even coming on your programme and justifying it
9:27
But the fact of the matter is that we have a very limited range of options
9:31
in order to sound the alarm. Because you know as well as I do that the British media
9:35
does not cover this the way that it should. It is not conveying the level of information that the public need to know
9:41
about this horrendous crime against humanity. James, this interview only works if you let me ask questions
9:46
The argument you're making is that you have no choice. The only way to make a difference is by going and littering
9:53
David Lammy's front garden with children's body bags. James, let me finish the question
9:58
James, this interview is not going to work unless you let me ask questions, because that's how
10:02
interviews work. I ask questions, you answer them. I'd appreciate if we could stick to that format
10:06
You are saying effectively that the only choice you have to make a difference is to go and litter David Lammy's front garden with children's body bags. Do you genuinely
10:14
hand on heart, think that is going to change anything? What I think it does, Ben, is it gets
10:19
me on your program talking about one of the worst crimes against humanity right and you know fine
10:24
well that the media we live in an attention economy where the media craves something to talk about
10:30
now if we politely stood on the street corner i would not be on your program right now
10:35
we've talked about it almost every day for 18 months and sometimes you think you're this sort
10:42
of hero complex that you're exposing this issue that no one else is talking about we talk about
10:46
extensively. The fact of the matter is... It's incredible. Do you listen to, do you watch television
10:52
Do you read newspapers? The BBC regurgitate Israeli propaganda and they do not..
10:57
You don't think the BBC has guests who criticise Israel, James? Honestly
11:02
You don't think the BBC or any other outlet has guests who criticise Israel
11:06
and make exactly the points you are without targeting politicians' homes? Come on, man
11:12
The media goes, who knows you frame two opposing ideas and goes oh who who who knows they could both be right but
11:20
the fact of the fact is then is that we know what's happening you know we we've seen 50 000
11:25
people annihilated we've seen the entire infrastructure of gaza completely flattened to the ground now half of the 2.3 million people in gaza are children right they've had their homes
11:37
their schools like destroyed the hospitals are being annihilated now what are we supposed to do
11:44
like i really do think that you need to sort of you know just elevate your perspective a little
11:50
bit and look at the big picture and see like are you actually going to sit here and and and and
11:56
and and complain about sitting out politely sitting outside someone's home when children
12:01
are being murdered the fact is we got a simple choice and what i would encourage your listeners to do is to join us on the streets You being deliberately misleading here It wasn sitting politely outside someone house as I said repeatedly and you chosen to ignore There is video online You can watch it for yourself and verify
12:15
what you will see in those photos is a front garden covered in children's
12:19
body bags because of your group. Let me ask you a different question. What
12:23
role do you think David Lammy's wife and young children have played in what's going on in Gaza
12:28
Say again, sorry, Ben. What role do you think David Lammy's wife and three children have played in what's going on in Gaza
12:34
Listen, I have no issue with David Lammy's family. So why are you targeting them
12:40
I'm deeply sorry if whatever the action we carried out today made them in any way uncomfortable
12:46
If you were really sorry, you wouldn't do it, would you? You'd go to his office instead. Why didn't you go to his office
12:51
He's the Foreign Secretary. If he can't be made to answer for British arms being used
12:59
on children in Gaza, then who can we go to? Well, you could go to his office, couldn't you
13:05
where his wife and children don't live. Why didn't you do that? Would that have got me on your programme today
13:08
So it's a publicity stunt, you admit that? Absolutely, of course it's a publicity stunt
13:13
And David Lammy's wife and children... I don't think you... Do you understand the nature of protest
13:18
All protest is about publicity, Ben. That's what gets us talking. That's what gets us a conversation happening in society
13:24
And David Lammy's wife and children just have to... Where we start to have a conversation about whether it's acceptable
13:28
for our leaders to be facilitating a genocide in Gaza. James, and David Lammy's wife and children
13:34
just have to suck up that harassment and intimidation because it gets you on the radio
13:38
Come on, Ben, let's think about all the wives and children that are struggling in Gaza right now
13:43
No, no, no, no, don't defer. We're talking about the way that you and your group potentially put the fear of God into the lives of three children
13:51
and an innocent woman who have no role, have you said, in what's going on in Gaza
13:55
You said yourself you're sorry for it. I ask again, why do you think it's OK to harass people's families
14:01
when they have absolutely nothing to do with what you're talking about? You know fine well that those women were not harassing anyone, right
14:07
So if someone covered your garden in body bags, you wouldn't find that distressing
14:10
A very threatening 37-year-old live-in carer and a caring mum from Lancaster who was sat outside
14:17
because they care about what is happening to children in Gaza. They don't care about David Lammy's children, do they
14:23
They're happy to harass and intimidate them. Of course they care about David Lammy's children. So why are they creating such a distressing situation outside their front door
14:30
Why is Israel creating a distressing situation in Gaza? You just cannot answer
14:34
I think I can. I think I think I think I think I think at the end of the day, I think I think you need to sort of gain some perspective here, Ben, about what's actually important
14:43
Are we actually as a human species? You're drawing a false equivalent. Are we are you honest? Are we actually going to sit here and watch what's happening in Gaza and think that, yes, that's that's acceptable
14:52
That's why we've talked about it pretty much every other day on this show, what's going on in Gaza
14:57
And we've had a range of perspectives. We've had a lot of people making the points you're making
15:01
We've had other people, a lot of callers would agree with basically everything you're saying about Gaza. As I've said repeatedly, we can do all that and we will do all that because it's very important
15:09
We keep talking about the situation in Gaza and the plight of children there. And I, for one, will make sure we do
15:14
You can do all that without intimidating innocent young children here who just happen to be the kids of the Foreign Secretary, can't you
15:20
The matter is, is that, you know, history is going to view those that have supported this systematic slaughter of children with absolute contempt
15:30
And David Lammy will be held to account for not having the spine to cease trading with Israel and hurting the British armed forces from assisting this genocide
15:38
You're not answering the questions. You haven't explained to me how David Lammy's wife or children have any role whatsoever in what you're calling a genocide
15:45
It hasn't been found to be a genocide, any court of law, but you're welcome to your opinion that it's a genocide
15:50
You haven't explained to me how David Lammy's kids have any involvement in that. You say you're sorry for targeting them, but then you defend the fact that you chose to do that rather than go to his office
15:58
I just think it's sick. I think covering anyone's front garden in body bags when there are children and innocent people living in that house who have absolutely nothing to do with any government policy is a really, really bleak state of affairs
#news
#Human Rights & Liberties
#War & Conflict