Extinction Rebellion: Giant pink table dismantled on day two of XR protest

Workers remove part of a large pink strcture that had been used by environmental activists from Extinction Rebellion to block the junction of Long Acre and Upper St Martin's Lane in London.
Workers remove part of a large pink structure that had been used by environmental activists

A giant pink table put up in the middle of a central London street by Extinction Rebellion protesters has been dismantled by police.

Segments of the four-metre structure were seen being carried off by men in hard hats and blue overalls on Tuesday as the activist group gathered in the capital for the second day of its planned 12-day mass protest.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Metropolitan Police said officers had also removed chairs which the activists had glued themselves onto and had made “many arrests”.

People sit under a large pink structure blocking the junction of Long Acre and Upper St Martin's Lane

A spokesman for the force declined to give a running total of arrest numbers but said 52 people had been detained for a “variety” of offences as of 10.15pm on Monday.

A cordon was put in place in the tourist hotspot of Covent Garden, blocking off parts of the Long Acre junction with Upper St Martin’s Lane.

Activists set up the large pink structure, which featured the words “come to the table”, on Monday and it contained built-in lock-ons where protesters could attach themselves to make their removal difficult for police. It also had sleeping quarters and a stereo system.

Some demonstrators were pictured standing on top waving pink-coloured flares.

XR kicked off its Impossible Rebellion protests on Monday when demonstrators blocked roads in central London, including around Trafalgar Square, as they demanded the Government immediately end investment in fossil fuels that are driving climate change.

The Met said a “significant” operation would be in place for the protests over the bank holiday weekend but also acknowledged the activists’ “important cause”.

Elsewhere protesters blocked Whitehall by locking their arms together in pipes.