Two women have been arrested after staging a protest against the Government’s Gaza policy at the Cenotaph in central London.

A video showed the women, from the protest group Youth Demand, laying flowers and a Palestinian flag in front of the Cenotaph in Whitehall, before spray-painting “180,000 killed” on the pavement in front of the memorial.

They then sat down in front of the Cenotaph holding signs saying “Stop arming Israel” and “Never again for anyone”.

In a tweet, Youth Demand said: “Never again means never again. Everything that the Cenotaph stands for is contrary to the Labour Government allowing companies to profit from genocide.”

The demonstration is the latest in a string of protests calling for the suspension of licences for arms sales to Israel against the background of the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The Metropolitan Police said the two women had been “quickly” arrested on suspicion of criminal damage “caused to the road and not the Cenotaph”.

The force added: “Everyone has the right to peaceful protest but where that crosses the line into criminality, we will take action.”

Veterans minister Al Carns criticised the protest, saying the Cenotaph was “special for all of us”.

He said: “The act of vandalism is abhorrent.

“No matter what is happening in the world, the Cenotaph must be respected. It stands in memory of those who made the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we enjoy today.”