Three people have been arrested for criminal damage
(Picture: Just Stop Oil)Just Stop Oil protesters glued themselves to Victoria Street in Westminster and sprayed soup over the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) offices.
It was the second protest to affect traffic on Monday. Two climbers ascended Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at the Dartford Crossing at around 5am and still remain, forcing police to close the bridge to vehicles.
Metropolitan Police said a dozen protesters blocked Victoria Street and glued themselves onto the road just after 11.30am outside the BEIS offices.
Twelve people were arrested for wilful obstruction of the highway, and three people were arrested for criminal damage.
Victoria Street has since been re-opened and traffic is moving, the Met said.
Specially trainers officers worked to” unglue people from the road”.
Just Stop Oil said protesters sat down on the road with banners outside the BEIS building, because it’s the Government department responsible for allowing new fossil fuel extraction.
The coalition of groups is demanding the Government end all new oil and gas extraction licences.
“A number glued themselves to the tarmac while others locked themselves together,” the coalition said.
“Shortly afterwards, a number of supporters covered the glass fronted building in soup, a reference to the fact that countless families in this country can not afford a tin of soup, and famine is rife across sub-saharan Africa.”
A spokesperson said: “Just Stop Oil invites the Home Secretary Suella Braverman to come and meet with us and we will stop throwing soup.”
One protester was seen being carried away by four police officers.
"don't just stand there - do something"
— Just Stop Oil ⚖️💀🛢 (@JustStop_Oil) October 17, 2022
Our corrupt politics is responsible for this disruption, it will end when Gov #EndNewOilandGas
Donate https://t.co/HBHsudWj6v#FreeLouis #FreeJosh #Soup pic.twitter.com/MRmPAeaHMR
Meanwhile, two supporters remain at the top of two 84m masts on the North side of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge, which has forced the police to close the bridge to traffic since early this morning.
The two supporters climbed the bridge masts at 5am on Monday.
Monday’s actions follows two weeks of protests from Just Stop Oil, during which the police have made 458 arrests, the group said.
On Sunday there were 14 arrests of Just Stop Oil supporters who blocked Park Lane and sprayed orange paint over the Aston Martin showroom.
Since the campaign began on April 1, Just Stop Oil say that their supporters have been arrested over 1,750 times, and five are currently in prison.
