Yahoo News Just Stop Oil: 15 arrests after 'two minutes of marching' through central London
More than 443 Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested since October 30, the group said.
Watch: Just Stop Oil invites general public to join latest series of daily protest marches
Fifteen Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested for what the campaign group said was "marching for two minutes" through central London.
Just Stop Oil is urging members of the public to join a series of daily protests to call for an immediate stop to all future fossil fuel projects in the UK, which started with hundreds of people doing a slow march through the capital on Monday, causing obstructions to traffic.
The Met Police confirmed that 15 Just Stop Oil activists have been arrested under Section 7 of the Public Order Act, which allows an arrest to be made if a protester intentionally or recklessly interferes with the use or operation of any key national infrastructure.
After the arrests, Just Stop Oil tweeted: "15 people, arrested for marching for 2 minutes, will now face up to 1 year in prison. This is what our democracy has become.
"They can't arrest their way out of societal breakdown. March with us"
Just Stop Oil activists turned out in protest against the government's decision to continue issuing gas and oil licences, with the group arguing that the continued expansion of new oil and gas will 'bring about the wholesale destruction of ordered society'.
They began their march midday from Trafalgar Square and headed towards Parliament Square, calling for ministers to take more action in tackling the current climate crisis.
Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News earlier on Monday, Just Stop Oil spokesperson Zoe Cohen urged the public to join their campaign.
"Just Stop Oil is making an open invitation for any members of the public... to join Trafalgar Square at 12 noon every day to march peacefully, and non-violently, to demand an end to new oil and gas," she said.
"Ordinary people are resisting the plans by this government to license more than 100 new fossil fuel projects in the North Sea, when we know... we are in out-and-out emergency."
Cohen added that licensing new oil and gas is an act of genocide against people in the Global South and an act of war against young people.
The latest arrests come just two days after four Just Stop Oil demonstrators were arrested during a march over Waterloo Bridge, which the group said involved 500 people.
The Met Police, who put the figure at around 250 people, has since warned it will take "appropriate action" if campaigners cause "serious disruption".
The force also warned that Londoners are "facing the brunt and cost" of the Just Stop Oil protests.
More than 440 Just Stop Oil supporters have been arrested since October 30, according to campaigners.
What is Just Stop Oil?
Just Stop Oil is a campaign group that demands that the government immediately halts all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK.
Following the recent government awarding of licences for gas and oil projects in the North Sea under the Offshore Petroleum Licensing Bill, the campaigner group has demanded an end to the new law.
In July, prime minister Rishi Sunak announced that 100 new North Sea licences had been awarded for future projects.
Just Stop Oil is known for its high-profile protests targeting sporting events including Wimbledon and disrupting cultural events such as the BBC Proms concert at the Royal Albert Hall.
The climate activist group says it uses "nonviolent civil resistance" as a tactic. Recently, Just Stop Oil protestors have staged slow marches, slowing down traffic and blocking road users from moving, causing major disruption for emergency services.
It says it will stop protesting when the government ceases to issue new licences.
