2025 London Marathon draws thousands, protesters highlight Gaza crisis

LONDON, UK - APRIL 27: Thousands of runners participated in the 2025 London Marathon on Sunday, April 27, completing the 42-kilometer route that stretched from Blackheath to The Mall near Buckingham Palace. Both professional athletes and amateur participants took part in the 45th edition of the world-renowned race. The marathon is widely recognized not only for its competitive spirit but also as a major charity fundraising event, having raised more than £1 billion since its inception in 1981. This year’s event was briefly disrupted near Tower Bridge when two protesters from the Youth Demand group threw red powder paint onto the course, calling for a full trade embargo on Israel and raising awareness of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The protesters, wearing “Stop Arming Israel” t-shirts, were quickly detained by police, and the race continued without major interruption. The group also criticized the British government, saying the army has flown more than 500 surveillance flights over Gaza since December 2023, raising fears of complicity in Israeli war crimes. More than 52,200 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children. The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants last November for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave. (Footage by Muhammed Yaylali /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)