Extinction Rebellion activists ‘kettled’ by police after bringing London streets to a standstill

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Hundreds of climate change activists have been ‘kettled’ by police after bringing streets in Covent Garden to a standstill.

Police lines are blocking access to the six streets where the protesters have set up camp. Officers have been instructed anyone who leaves will not be allowed back in.The protesters are unlikely to be starved out, there’s a pub, burger bar, two Italian restaurants and a Pret inside the cordon.

A first-time climate protester has said Extinction Rebellion’s controversial methods are “necessary behaviour”.

Maddy Hayley Thomas, 33, said: “What is extreme is the fact that the Government, huge corporations, all of our system is allowing the devastation to our planet, to the global south.”

Ms Thomas said she had been spurred to join her first XR protest by the recent IPCC report which UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described as “Code Red for humanity”.

Climate protesters have blocked a road in central London with a large pink structure with “Come to the Table” written on it.

Hundreds of protesters are currently gathered at the intersection of Long Acre and Upper St. Martin’s Lane with stewards directing activists to set up chairs to block the road.

Charlie Waterhouse, of the Extinction Rebellion design team, said: “We are inviting everyone in Britain to come to the table and have the kind of grown-up conversations government, industry and the media are refusing.

“When those in positions of power are incapable, it is the responsibility of the people to step up. We are in the greatest crisis humanity has ever faced and Extinction Rebellion are calling crisis talks.”

A first-time climate protester said Extinction Rebellion’s controversial methods are “necessary behaviour”.

Maddy Hayley Thomas, 33, said: “What is extreme is the fact that the Government, huge corporations, all of our system is allowing the devastation to our planet, to the global south.”

The Metropolitan Police said a “significant” operation would be put in place to manage the protests over the busy bank holiday weekend, but acknowledged the activists’ “important cause".

Extinction Rebellion vowed to return to the streets earlier this month following a string of victories in court which saw activists successfully appeal convictions for previous stunts.

Their latest protest comes after a major science review by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change confirmed that human activity such as burning fossil fuels was unequivocally driving the climate crisis, with impacts such as deadly heatwaves, floods and storms already being felt.

In November the UK will host the international Cop26 summit where the pressure will be on world leaders to increase action to urgently cut greenhouse gases and avoid even more dangerous global warming.