Two Sheffield Extinction Rebellion climate campaigners arrested as protests continue in London

At least two members of the Sheffield branch of climate campaign group Extinction Rebellion have been arrested as protests continue in London.
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More than 500 people have been arrested since Monday and three charged with gluing themselves to a train as activists continue to block traffic at four sites in the capital.

Police rest days have been cancelled over the bank holiday, as more than 1,000 officers are deployed in London.

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Climate activists surround a pink boat that has been parked during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration at Oxford Circus, London. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire.Climate activists surround a pink boat that has been parked during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration at Oxford Circus, London. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire.
Climate activists surround a pink boat that has been parked during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration at Oxford Circus, London. Picture: Yui Mok/PA Wire.
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Home Secretary Sajid Javid said the climate activists had ‘no right to cause misery’ and the Met Police ‘must take a firm stance’.

Officers have also been asked to work 12-hour shifts, while the Violent Crime Task Force has had leave cancelled.

Posting on Twitter, Extinction Rebellion Sheffield said ‘at least two’ activists had been arrested and that the branch sent them its support.

The protests in London come just four weeks after campaigners in Sheffield blocked off Sheaf Street outside Sheffield railway station during the morning rush-hour causing traffic chaos for commuters.

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Tensions rose between frustrated motorists and members of Extinction Rebellion who blocked traffic on the crossing outside Sheffield railway station on Sheaf Street on March 19.

The group staged a series of protests – each of around five minutes in duration – between 8am and 9am in the hope of stopping what they said was the ‘extinction of nature and of people’.

Motorists were seen getting out of cars and shouting abuse at the campaigners, who attempted to explain the reason for the protest to drivers stuck in the traffic.

Dr Bing Jones, of Extinction Rebellion Sheffield, said: “Nobody is listening to the scientists when they say they are completely confident that we have got 12 years to take really radical action to sort this.

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“Politicians don’t turn up for debates, local authorities aren't actually committed to meaningful action, so we need to block the roads to make people take notice.”

Around 50 campaigners took to the crossing with banners, which said: ‘Sorry to stop you – the planet is dying’ and another which read: ‘Climate emergency’.

A number of motorists beeped their horns in frustration and one man even got out to confront the protesters.