Just Stop Oil (JSO) protesters have held a demonstration outside the Metropolitan Police’s central London headquarters.
At least two climate activists, who gathered outside New Scotland Yard on Saturday afternoon, were carried into waiting police vans.
Uniformed officers watched as the protesters held speeches in which they said they would take their protest to other London sites, which they dubbed “centres of oppression”, such as the Supreme Court.
Before the group moved to Parliament Square, where the Supreme Court is, an activist on a loudspeaker told the small group: “The police think they can stop our protests.
“They can never stop our protests.”
JSO, which has carried out a string of recent “slow marches,” billed Saturday’s protest as a “mass march” through the capital “in solidarity with the innocent climate prisoners”.
It came after the Met said it had “arrested JSO activists on 649 occasions, with 338 charges secured so far” since the “start of their latest campaign of disruption” on October 30.
JSO claim we’re arresting people for protesting on a pavement. That’s not accurate…
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) December 2, 2023
One of these activists was arrested for breaching bail conditions set by the court.
The other was wanted on suspicion of a racially aggravated public order offence after alleged antisemitic… https://t.co/Vperg4tWmH
The force later confirmed arrests were made during Saturday’s protest but denied they were for allegedly demonstrating on a pavement, as claimed by JSO.
In a tweet, the Met said “that’s not accurate”.
The force spokesman added: “One of these activists was arrested for breaching bail conditions set by the court.
“The other was wanted for a racially aggravated public order offence after antisemitic remarks were made at a protest.
“Both are on their way to custody.”
