Police arrest Extinction Rebellion activists before two weeks of protests

Police have arrested 10 people ahead of a fortnight of environmental protests by Extinction Rebellion.

The Met confirmed seven women and three men were held on Saturday on suspicion of conspiracy to cause public nuisance.

Activists are planning to close roads around Westminster and hold a sit-in at London City Airport as part of worldwide environmental protests set to begin on Monday.

Officers raided the former Lambeth County Court building which members used to store equipment.

Extinction Rebellion said police confiscated six vehicles as well as gazebos, portable toilets and bean bags – and claimed the arrests were ‘pre-emptive’.

‘This escalation of pre-emptive tactics by the Government and police is a sign that we are being heard and acknowledged as a significant movement,’ the group said

Activists are set to bring disruption to the centre of the capital as part of an ‘international rebellion’ around the world calling for urgent action on the climate and wildlife emergencies.

Popular areas of the capital including Trafalgar Square, Lambeth and Westminster Bridges and the Houses of Parliament are expected to be targeted, along with a number of government departments.

Organisers are expecting up to 30,000 people to be involved in the protests over the next fortnight, making them five times bigger than the protests that caused chaos in London back in April.

Extinction Rebellion has now called for members of the public to replace the items confiscated by police before Monday.

‘The Government can take our structures, but we remain resolute in our preparation for the Rebellion. We call for rebels to remain adaptable, creative and joyful whatever we are presented with,’ they said.

‘We ask that the Government focus their attention and resources on responding to the Climate and Ecological Emergency which threatens us all.’

The Metropolitan Police said they were ‘aware of a number of planned demonstrations and protests by Extinction Rebellion’ commencing Monday lasting up to two weeks across a number of central London locations.

Preparations have been underway for the protest ‘for several weeks now’, the force added: ‘The policing operation will be proportionate to balance the right to a peaceful protest, while ensuring disruption to communities is kept to a minimum.

‘Officers from across the Met will be deployed to support the public order operation, balanced against policing the rest of London.’

The Met declined to comment about specific allegations of pre-emptive arrest.

Last week Extinction Rebellion used an out-of-service fire engine to spray almost 3,500 pints of fake blood over the Treasury building before holding up a banner reading ‘Stop Funding Climate Death’.

Members live streamed a video from the demonstration, with one activist saying: ‘This is symbolic to show the government that the UK has blood on their hands.’

The Met said four people were arrested – three men and one woman – on suspicion of criminal damage.