New Scotland Yard sign covered with yellow paint as protesters target Metropolitan Police HQ

  • ITV News' Helen Keenan reports on the protests targeting a Van Gogh painting at the National Gallery and at Met Police's HQ

More than 20 protesters have been arrested after a sign for New Scotland Yard was covered with yellow paint.

Demonstrators also blocked the road in front of the Metropolitan Police’s headquarters during Just Stop Oil’s action on Friday.

It came after two activists from the group were arrested for throwing two tins of tomato soup at a £72 million Vincent van Gogh Sunflowers painting at the National Gallery on Friday morning.

Officers cleared the demonstrators from Victoria Embankment, outside New Scotland Yard, and have now reopened it to traffic.

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A police officer detains a Just Stop Oil protester after she spray painted a New Scotland Yard sign outside Met Police HQ Credit: PA

The force said it arrested 24 protesters on suspicion of wilful obstruction of the highway and conspiracy to commit criminal damage.

At least eight officers continued to surround the rotating sign, which remains covered in paint.

Friday marked the 14th day of “continuous disruption” by the environmental protest group, which has also seen protesters block several key roads in the capital over the course of the fortnight.

Police officers surround a sign which was spray painted by a Just Stop Oil protester outside New Scotland Yard in London Credit: Stefan Rousseau/AP

Four protesters also inserted their arms into pieces of what appeared to be metal piping as they sat on the road in front of New Scotland Yard in Westminster.

Police officers gave the activists protective visors before cutting the piping in half to separate them.

A Just Stop Oil supporter, looking on at the protests outside New Scotland Yard and handing out leaflets, said: “I just arrived to give out some leaflets because I heard that there was a road block round here.”

Police officers detain a Just Stop Oil protester outside New Scotland Yard on Friday Credit: PA

Gabby Ditton, 28, from Norwich, added: “We did try petitions and marches and strongly worded emails before this, but that didn’t work.

“And now we’re in a situation where all of life on earth could be destroyed forever in the name of short-term profit. So yeah, I absolutely support this.

“It’s peaceful, it’s non-violent, it’s stressful to watch but what other choice do we have?”

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: “Officers have arrested 24 protesters on suspicion of conspiracy to commit criminal damage after activists sprayed orange paint at New Scotland Yard’s revolving sign; and wilful obstruction of the highway after they sat down in the carriageway outside New Scotland Yard.

“Several individuals ‘locked on’ or glued themselves on to the road surface. Specialist officers have now removed them and they are being taken into custody at various central London police stations.“

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