Six people have been arrested after Extinction Rebellion (XR) activists, including two Olympians, scaled an oil tanker in west London. The Metropolitan police said that 40 people were arrested in total on Saturday in a number of protests across the capital.
The gold medal-winning canoeist Etienne Stott, along with two others, climbed on to the Shell tanker on Bayswater Road with a banner reading “End fossil filth”.
Later on Saturday, two XR demonstrators scaled Marble Arch in central London to hang a banner as protests against fossil fuels continued for a seventh day. A man and a woman climbed up two pillars to hoist a green banner, which was about 10 metres wide and read “End fossil fuels now”, shortly before 6pm.
On a road next to Marble Arch, a group of eight activists locked themselves on to a car while two glued themselves to the roof.
On the tanker incident, Stott said: “I am acting to try to disrupt the toxic fossil fuel industry that is destroying everything we hold dear. I am hoping we can slow it down long enough to create a moment where everyone can stop and think where we are going and change course.
“I am aware that my actions will cause anger to many people and I am prepared to be held accountable. But our government should also be held to account for its decisions, which are destroying our planet’s ability to support human civilisation.”
The Olympic sailor Laura Baldwin, who also took part in the protest, said: “This is the most critical time in the history of humanity and I feel I must do all that I can to raise the alarm.”
The Metropolitan police said six arrests for vehicle interference were made in connection with the action in Bayswater. It said in a statement: “We attended Bayswater Road at approx 0850 BST to deal with a number of protesters who had climbed on an oil tanker. We have made six arrests for vehicle interference. The road is now open.”
Shortly after 6.30pm, the Met imposed a section 14(1) public order on the group protesting in Marble Arch to clear the road by 6pm.
It covers the area from Marble Arch gyratory, encompassing Park Lane, Oxford Street, Tyburn Way, Edgware Road, Bayswater Road and Cumberland Gate. Several people were detained by officers moments afterwards.
XR indicated to the Guardian that one of the Olympians was arrested on Saturday morning. The group said the action came on its “biggest day of disruption so far”, bookending 10 days of protests across the capital.
An XR spokesperson said: “The people arrested today were doing what they felt was necessary to confront the fossil fuel industry that’s driving catastrophic climate change. They are part of a powerful moment when more people than ever are taking part in civil resistance to say we will no longer stand for the inaction and lies of governments prioritising corporate interest over protecting people from what’s happening right now.
“Extinction Rebellion is calling on all peaceful, loving and determined people to step into rebellion and resistance now.”
A spokesperson for Shell said the company agrees that society “needs to take urgent action” on climate change. “Shell has a clear target to become a net-zero emissions business by 2050, in step with society,” they added.
On Friday, protesters blocked four of London’s busiest bridges and earlier this week obstructed the entrances to the insurance marketplace Lloyds of London.
