Just Stop Oil activists have launched a protest outside Parliament in an attempt to prevent Andy Burnham from leaving his first PMQs.
Around 60 protesters wearing orange high-visibility jackets sat in the road in Westminster on Wednesday, blocking traffic outside Parliament.
Metropolitan Police officers moved in and began removing people, while a “significant number” of activists are understood to have glued themselves to the road.
Others could be seen holding large banners during the demonstration, while photos show some members being carried away.
The protest marks a return to public disruption by Just Stop Oil, whose last public protest took place in April 2025.
The group declared on social media that it was “back”, despite announcing last year that it would end its campaign of mass disruption after the Government committed to halting new oil and gas licences.
The demonstration appeared specifically aimed at preventing Andy Burnham from leaving Parliament following PMQs.
The group says it is protesting over climate change and the deadly consequences that it continues to have on our planet.
JSO protesters added that one lane has been left free to permit access for emergency vehicles.
They point to thousands of heat-related deaths in the UK following an extremely hot summer, warning that rising global temperatures could lead to catastrophic loss of life worldwide unless urgent action is taken.
“Almost 3,000 people died as a result of the heatwaves in the UK this summer. 1.5°C is locked in,” they wrote on X.
“There's a possibility of 3°C warming by 2050, with the potential for billions of deaths globally by the end of the century.”
A spokesperson for Met Police said: “Police were called at 12:04hrs on Wednesday, 2 September following reports of disruption on Parliament Square.
“Officers are currently on scene and continue to engage with a group of people, believed to be Just Stop Oil supporters.
“Specialist officers have been deployed, and some members of the group have been removed from the road.
“We are working closely with partners including TfL to reduce disruption in the area for Londoners.”
Founded in 2022, Just Stop Oil is known for its highly disruptive and headline-grabbing tactics, with stunts including throwing tomato soup over Vincent Van Gogh’s sunflowers and spraying orange powder paint onto the ancient stones at Stonehenge.
Sam Burgess, 26, a student from Lancaster, who took part in the protest today said: “More oil is a death sentence: the unprecedented heatwaves killed over 35,000 extra people in Europe this summer. I’m not going to sit by and wait for this figure to include someone I love.
“The government must start protecting its citizens and Just Stop Oil.”
