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More than 1,100 protesters arrested during first days of climate change demonstrations

Protesters hold a banner next to the BBC logo at the company's headquarters during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration in London, Britain October 11, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
On Friday, protesters demonstrated at the BBC (REUTERS/Peter Nicholls)

More than 1,100 people have been arrested so far as part of the Extinction Rebellion protests in London.

The Metropolitan Police said the numbers had passed the four figure mark after the first four days of a planned two-week long protest by environmentalists.

On Friday, demonstrators targeted the BBC offices in central London and other prominent areas, including Trafalgar Square and Bishopsgate.

A protester waves a flag next to the BBC logo at the company's headquarters during an Extinction Rebellion demonstration in London, Britain October 11, 2019. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls
A protester waves a flag next to the BBC logo (REUTERS/Peter Nicholls)

The demonstrators demanded to speak to a BBC executive and BBC journalists said they were trapped inside the building because of the number of people protesting outside.

The current number of arrests stands at 1,112 but that is expected to rise over the weekend.

Friday’s protests came just 24 hours after they focused on London City Airport, where activists attempted a ‘Hong Kong-style occupation of the terminal building’.

Cressida Dick, said the force had been “stretched” by the protests and hampered its ability to respond to other crimes.

She told the PA news agency she hoped the activists would choose to either “protest lawfully” or “go home”.

Earlier in the week, Cressida Dick said the protesters were “utterly irresponsible and completely unreasonable” for their determination to occupy central London.

But in response, Extinction Rebellion raised concerns that extreme weather caused by climate change would lead to crop losses, food crises, social unrest and damage to infrastructure.

They urged “rebels” on the streets to “stay strong” in the face of potential arrest.

Around 50 people had been arrested at London airport on Thursday, after partially-sighted former Paralympic cyclist, James Brown, got on top of a British Airways plane to stand up “for everybody’s kids”.

Other protestors glued themselves to the entrance of the Docklands Light Railway station serving the airport.

Extinction Rebellion is calling for urgent action to tackle climate change and wildlife losses.

The protest is expected to last 14 days.

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