Police lockdown as XR activist climbs Parliament walls and the group vows to target the Tube

Police had to lockdown part of central London today after an Extinction Rebellion activist scaled the walls of the Palace of Westminster.

It came as the eco-warrior group vowed to shut down the Tube in new demonstrations that will hit thousands of commuters on Thursday.

The lone protester wore a fake gas mask and carried a STOP sign as he perched on a stone pillar, forcing police in Parliament Square to act.

Expert climbers and a cherrypicker were brought in to try to get the protester down, while crowds – who were behind a 200ft cordon – chanted ‘Extinction rebellion’.

The unnamed man was hauled down from the pillar, dumped in the cherrypicker and taken away by police.

The eco-warrior group said it will carry out ‘non-violent’ demonstrations and seek to ‘stop the Tube’ on Thursday as its second week of protests continue.

A statement said: ‘On 17 October, several XR affinity groups (autonomous civil disobedience groups) are planning to nonviolently disrupt Tube services to highlight the Climate and Ecological Emergency.

‘We sincerely apologise to all those who may be affected as a consequence of this disruption. In any other circumstances these groups would never dream of disrupting the Tube but this is an emergency.’

It continued: ‘The disruption is necessary to highlight that people are already dying as a result of climate change and to protect lives in the long term. Not just ours, but our children’s and grandchildren’s.

‘Many ways have been tried to raise awareness of the climate and ecological disaster we are now experiencing, and they’ve all failed to generate the necessary amount of action. Recently, XR have even banned from peaceful protest in the streets of London.

‘This is now an emergency. The individuals who have committed to this action wish to sound the alarm as loud as they can. This is disruption with a purpose.’

XR said the British Transport Police, the Met and the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers have been told about the plans to ‘peacefully break the law in a bid to stop the Tube and wait to be arrested’.

The Met said today that 92 people connected with the ‘Autumn Uprising’ have been charged with offences including failing to comply with a condition imposed under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, criminal damage and obstruction of a highway.

It comes after XR founder Gail Bradbrook was arrested today for climbing on top of the entrance of the Department of Transport and trying to smash glass panels with a hammer.

Dr Bradbrook, 47, clambered on to the front of the building and placed XR stickers above the doors. She was then seen trying to smash windows with a hammer as police stood by.

The XR protest at the ministry was less than 24 hours after police insisted they had banned demonstrators from the capital completely after continued breaches of site-specific prohibitions, in order ‘to help us get London moving again’.

Today the Met insisted its use of the Section 14 order – branded draconian by some, who threatened to challenge it in the courts – was proportional.

Extinction Rebellion has said it has taken the first steps towards a judicial review of the Met’s attempts to restrict protest action.

In a statement it said: ‘In response to the Metropolitan Police’s disproportionate and unprecedented attempt to curtail peaceful protest last night, Extinction Rebellion has taken the first steps towards a judicial review.

‘Our lawyers have delivered a ‘Letter before Action’ to the Met and asked for an immediate response.’ 

Human rights lawyer Tobias Garnett said XR had imposed a 2.30pm deadline on the police to respond or the group would be filing a claim in the High Court.

He said the police order limiting protests ‘risks criminalising anyone who wants to protest in any way about the climate and ecological emergency that we face’. 

This morning after less than an hour, Dr. Bradbrook was brought down by police in a cherry picker and was arrested. 

She said she has protested at the Department of Transport to highlight her opposition against the planned HS2 rail link. 

‘I did this for the beautiful pear tree at Cubbington Woods, 250 years old they have no rights. I do this in fierce love of the 108 ancient woodlands threatened by HS2, this climate crime of a project. 

‘I do this in the spirit of what Emmeline Pankhurst called ‘the noble art of window smashing’.’  

She said Extinction Rebellion was calling for a plan for transitioning the UK to a zero carbon transport system, for a law of ‘ecocide’ to stop mass damage and destruction of nature and for nature to have rights. 

This morning a police officer outside the Department for Transport confirmed that all protesters had been removed from the scene and claimed no-one had been glued to the building.

Police tape surrounds much of the main entrance to the department’s offices, with Extinction Rebellion messages still stuck to it, although staff can now enter the building.

A series of dents and a long crack can be seen on the window next to where Gail Bradbrook was standing before her arrest.

The protesters’ latest actions came after the Metropolitan Police imposed conditions under Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, requiring any protest assembly in the capital to cease by 9pm on Monday.

The force said this was to ‘prevent serious disruption to the life of the community’.

It announced this morning that the latest arrest figure is 1,457 since the start of the protest – a gain of just twelve since the Monday 5pm figure.

On Monday evening, activists were cleared from Trafalgar Square, where many had lawfully congregated for the past week.

In response to the police action, an Extinction Rebellion (XR) statement said its ‘rebels’ would take ‘a moment to pause and remember why we are here’.

It added: ‘Extinction Rebellion will let the Trafalgar Square site go tonight. The International Rebellion continues.’ 

It comes after Extinction Rebellion protesters were dramatically cleared from Trafalgar Square in under an hour yesterday almost immediately after police banned ‘any assembly’ within London – as a Green Party MEP joins those arrested.

Today Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said: ‘We have made good progress clearing Trafalgar Square and other sites to enable the capital to return to normal following more than a week of protests. 

‘However, due to continued breaches of the section 14 condition previously implemented and ongoing serious disruption this further condition was imposed. 

‘This was an operational policing decision to help us get London moving again. 

‘After nine days of disruption we felt it is entirely proportionate and reasonable to impose this condition because of the cumulative impact of these protests. 

‘A significant policing operation continues and we will take robust action against anyone engaged in unlawful protests at locations targeted by Extinction Rebellion. 

‘However, I want to be absolutely clear. This does not mean people are banned from protesting in London. The condition applies specifically to the Extinction Rebellion ‘Autumn Uprising’.’

Lawyers questioned whether the ban, made under public order legislation already used to restrict the action to Trafalgar Square, was legal.

Anti-Brexit barrister Jo Maugham QC said the move was ‘a huge overreach’ of police powers, while human rights lawyer Adam Wagner called it ‘draconian and extremely heavy-handed’.

Green Party MEP Ellie Chowns, who was arrested in Trafalgar Square, Green MP Caroline Lucas and shadow policing and crime minister Louise Haigh also spoke out against the ban.

Ms Haigh said: ‘This is a grotesque overreaction and extremely worrying attack on basic civil liberties.’

Police moved in to clear Trafalgar Square on Monday evening, telling protesters to leave the site by 9pm or risk arrest.

On Tuesday, Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said the protest ban was brought in after ‘continued breaches’ of the condition limiting the demonstration to Trafalgar Square.

He said: ‘This was an operational policing decision to help us get London moving again.

‘After nine days of disruption we felt it is entirely proportionate and reasonable to impose this condition because of the cumulative impact of these protests.

‘A significant policing operation continues and we will take robust action against anyone engaged in unlawful protests at locations targeted by Extinction Rebellion.’

Mr Maugham said on Twitter: ‘We believe the section 14 Order is invalid – that it amounts to a huge overreach of the statutory power – and likely reflects the enormous political pressure the Met is under.

‘It exposes the Met to all sorts of risks – of legal challenges to validity, of civil claims for wrongful arrest with aggravated damages and so on – merely because this Government cannot tolerate peaceful protest.’

Human rights lawyer Mr Wagner questioned whether the Public Order Act allows for a city-wide ban on protests.

In a series of tweets, he said: ‘As things stand, five XR protesters standing on the pavement outside my house would be breaking the law. As would school children with XR banners in a park. The ban seems draconian and extremely heavy handed even given previous disruption.

‘We have a right to free speech under article 10 and to free assembly under article 11 of the (annex to the) Human Rights Act. These can only be interfered with if the interference is lawful and proportionate. I think the police may have gone too far here.’

Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott said the ban on Extinction Rebellion protests was ‘completely contrary to Britain’s long-held traditions of policing by consent, freedom of speech, and the right to protest’.

And Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said: ‘I am seeking further information from senior officers about the operational decision to impose a Section 14 order on the Extinction Rebellion Autumn Uprising – including at Trafalgar Square – and why this was necessary.

‘I believe the right to peaceful and lawful protest must always be upheld.

‘However, illegal action by some protesters over the past eight days has put undue pressure on already overstretched police officers, and demonstrators should bear this in mind when considering any further actions.’

This morning police conducted searches of people near MI5’s headquarters in London.

An XR supporter who was live streaming from outside the security service’s building in Millbank has been detained by police for allegedly breaching anti-terrorism laws. 

The activist, who gave his name as ‘Stephen’, was held by officers after he was accused by police of approaching two people at a ‘specific’ building. 

He had earlier livestreamed on Facebook that he was joining a planned demonstration at MI5. 

But he began his broadcast by stating :’ There’s a police presence here…but I see no rebels!’ 

According to an Extinction Rebellion Facebook group protesters had planned to blockade the road outside MI5 on Tuesday morning to highlight the issue of food security.

A Extinction Rebellion source indicated the event could be in doubt due to a heavy police presence at the scene.

Officers are conducting searches in a small park by the river outside the MI5 building. Several police vehicles are parked on a nearby roundabout, while groups of officers stand at the northern end of Lambeth Bridge.

Yesterday hundreds of protesters blocked roads in the City of London in an attempt to use Hong-Kong inspired protests to cause maximum disruption to authorities, but the eight-day action was cut almost a week short by 9pm yesterday evening.

Metropolitan Police issued a statement warning ‘any assembly linked to the Extinction Rebellion Autumn Uprising’ to ‘cease their protests within London (Metropolitan Police Service, and City of London areas) by 9pm’.

At 11pm Trafalgar Square was almost completely cleared – in stark contrast to just an hour before when tents were still raised and crowds of protesters stood wearing their raincoats in the autumnal drizzle.    

Green Party MEP Eleanor Elizabeth Chowns was spotted in a police van as she joined others who had been arrested for refusing to leave the area as officers waded in to prevent further disruption. 

The arrest was made under Section 14 of the Public Order Act (1986) after Chowns refused to leave the area while asking police why they were removing the protesters.  

Most protesters have already decamped to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens, south of the river, according to Extinction Rebellion. 

Until Monday night police had been directing demonstrators to Trafalgar Square as the only legal area for Autumn Uprising protesters to gather. 

Howard Rees, an XR spokesman who was at the scene, told the Guardian that police started clearing Trafalgar Square before even issuing the revised order to protesters. ‘They gave us the notification: ‘We have started clearing the square’,’ Rees said. 

‘It’s all peaceful. People for the most part are being given the opportunity to move their possessions.’

On Twitter, the London branch of Extinction Rebellion labelled the clear out ‘an emergency’ and an ‘outrage’ before demanding police ‘respect the law’.

‘Police are clearing peaceful protest in Trafalgar & Vauxhall. They are back-tracking on promises made &, MEPs say, in contravention of UK law, in the national square,’ it added. 

The protests were meant to continue on until Saturday, October 19, at 6pm but have now been cut five days short.

An Extinction Rebellion spokesman said: ‘The Climate and Ecological Emergency isn’t going away and we remain resolute in facing it.

‘We urge the Government and the authorities to join us in doing the same. We cannot do it alone. This is bigger than all of us.

‘To rebels, this is a moment to pause and remember why we are here. Extinction Rebellion will let the Trafalgar Square site go tonight. The International Rebellion continues.’

The first Rabbi to be arrested in the UK was apprehended by police in Bank yesterday while he prayed and sang for the first day of the festival Sukkot.

He said: ‘It’s impossible, at least for me, to read the Bible of Prophets without recognising how much we’re rooted in the Earth, in social justice, in an awareness of the world around us, and, attempting to give all that we have on its behalf seems to me the highest calling towards God.

‘The highest principle is the saving of life, pikuach nefesh, there isn’t anything more that we’re doing here in Extinction Rebellion than being aware that millions, or hundreds of millions of people, already are at threat because of the changing climate, and if you add in future generations then … this is where we have to be. We have to work alongside those who are absolutely dedicated to trying to save life.’ 

Yesterday afternoon protesters planned to move along Fleet Street to the Royal Courts of Justice, to try and shut down the High Court and Court of Appeal.  

The group had set up training camps over the weekend as they tried to bring in reinforcements following more than 1,300 arrests last week. Today, the total number of arrested topped 1,400.

Amid heavy rain in London, the numbers of demonstrators seemed much depleted compared to last week.

They borrowed the Bruce Lee phrase ‘Be Water’, which was used by the Hong Kong protesters, to describe constantly changing targets to out-fox police. 

This morning, dozens of activists sat or stood in the road as City workers left Bank tube station. 

In some surrounding streets traffic was brought to a standstill, with 20 double-decker buses queuing down Lombard Street and King William Street rendered stationary by the climate change protesters at Bank station.

The driver of the bus at the front of the queue said he had been there for two hours – since 7am – and protesters showed no signs of moving.

Protesters, sheltering under umbrellas, were holding aloft flags bearing the Extinction Rebellion logo, while drummers played. 

Activists covered themselves in a large green tarpaulin to protect against the rain.

Many were holding banners and placards bearing messages targeting financial institutions, such as ‘divest from climate change’ and ‘invest in soil not oil’.

Dave Evans, 32, an IT consultant from London, said he had taken two weeks unpaid leave to join the Extinction Rebellion protests. He said the finance sector needed to ‘stop funding the climate crisis’. 

Police were warning protesters individually that they would be arrested under a Section 40 order for obstructing traffic if they do not leave the area.

Leading activists, such as people carrying drums and a woman with a megaphone, were led away by officers as the crowd cheered them on.

But by around 3pm yesterday, police seemed to stop making arrests. 

Around 30 activists started a yoga session at the crossroads by Bank. Hundreds more sat on the floor or stood around them. 

More than 1,400 people have already been arrested in the protests, part of an ‘international rebellion’ with action taking place in cities around the world.

In the UK, Extinction Rebellion is calling on the Government to declare a climate and ecological emergency, to act immediately to halt wildlife loss and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.

Extinction Rebellion said dozens of activists are expected to appear in court this week, including trials connected with previous action in April.

The Met Police’s Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor said last week that the protests were stretching London’s police resources and hitting victims of real crime elsewhere in the capital.

He said on Friday: ‘Their behaviour still continues. They’ve deliberately set out to seek and cause chaos, they’re performing activity that makes it dangerous and slow for us to clear them.

‘And whilst were not anti-protest, we are against them repeatedly breaking the law and causing this really significant disruption and as the Commissioner said this morning, this isn’t a game for Londoners.

‘We have other things that we should be doing across London. We’ve had to take officers from those local communities and stop doing anything that’s is not critical or urgent towards business and that’s just not right.’

It comes as Scotland Yard’s top officer warned that the Met had been ‘stretched’ by the Extinction Rebellion protests, impeding its ability to respond to other crimes.

Dame Cressida said she hoped the protesters would choose to either ‘protest lawfully’ at Trafalgar Square or ‘go home’.

Extinction Rebellion turn their attention to London’s businesses after week targeting government and transport hubs

Activists targeted BlackRock, the world’s biggest asset manager, in London on Monday, demanding that the world’s major financial institutions stop funding what they describe as a looming environmental catastrophe.

Extinction Rebellion, which promotes revolt against established political, economic and social structures as a way to publicise its dramatic climate message, is in the middle of two weeks of civil disobedience in London.

Its activists thronged the financial heart of London on Monday, blocking streets around locations such as the Bank of England and BlackRock.

Activists glued themselves to the doors of BlackRock while others staged a mock dinner party with rolled-up banknotes on their plates, a Reuters reporter said.

‘The City of London is a preeminent nexus of power in the global system that is killing our world,’ said Carolina Rosa, spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion.

There was no immediate comment from BlackRock.

Extinction Rebellion wants non-violent civil disobedience to force governments to cut carbon emissions and avert a climate crisis it says will bring starvation and social collapse.

Critics say the group is proposing what amounts to the overthrow of capitalism without any clear idea of what would replace it, and that the world’s energy needs cannot be met without fossil fuels.