Just Stop Oil activists have glued themselves to a road in north London on the 22nd day of the group’s campaign of civil unrest.
About 20 protesters stopped traffic in Upper Street in Islington, north London, on Saturday.
The Metropolitan police said: “Met officers are at the scene at Upper Street N1, where there are 16 Just Stop Oil protesters who have sat down on the road, four of whom are locked on to each other and six are glued to the road.”
It went on: “Traffic in both directions is blocked. Police are in the process of arresting those who are not glued or locked on for wilful obstruction of the highway.
“A specialist team is now on the scene and dealing with those who are glued and locked on, and they will be arrested when freed.”
It was the latest development in a two-week-long string of protests organised by Just Stop Oil, which is demanding that the government halt new fossil fuel licensing and production.
The Met later said the road had been cleared, and traffic was flowing in both directions.
It added: “Police have arrested 17 protesters for wilful obstruction of the highway. They have been taken into custody at a central London police station.”
Last week, activists from Just Stop Oil threw tomato soup over Vincent van Gogh’s Sunflowers, which was protected by glass, at the National Gallery in London.
The gallery has since confirmed the painting was not damaged, saying in a statement that “there is some minor damage to the frame but the painting is unharmed”.
According to a Just Stop Oil statement issued on Saturday, police have made 554 arrests since the start of the protests two weeks ago.
Since their campaign began on 1 April, Just Stop Oil claims that their supporters have been arrested more than 1,800 times, with seven people currently in prison.
