Just Stop Oil protesters have sprayed orange paint on Harrods in central London on Thursday morning - marking the group’s 20th consecutive day of action in the capital.
At 9am, 20 activists stopped traffic in Knightsbridge by sitting in the road with banners - some gluing themselves to the road and locking themselves together - before two protesters sprayed the outside of the world-famous department store.
Video appeared to show those responsible for spraying the paint being led away by security staff, while protesters were also dragged out of the road by bystanders including a man who said “people have got places to be”.
The Metropolitan Police later confirmed 17 people were arrested on suspicion of wilful obstruction of the highway at Brompton Road. Two were also arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage.
They were taken into custody, and the road had reopened in both directions by about midday.
A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “We owe it to our young people to stop fossil fuels, we owe it to our workers to create a just transition to a zero carbon economy, we owe it to our old people to enable them to live with dignity.
“We need to rapidly reduce the demand for fossil fuel energy through a mssaive programme of renewables, insulation and free public transport paid for by taxing the fossil fuel companies obscene profits, and the rich who avoid paying their fair share.”
Thursday marked the 20th consecutive day of action taken by the group, who are calling on the Government to halt all new oil and gas licenses.
Previous days have seen them bring traffic chaos to central London by staging sit-ins, while earlier this week the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge at the Dartford crossing was shut as protesters dangled from the structure.
More than 350 Just Stop Oil protesters have been arrested in London since the start of October, according to Home Office figures.
The Home Secretary has now unveiled plans for a major crackdown on the kinds of protests favoured by Just Stop Oil - which would allow ministers to apply for injunctions for protests that cause “serious disruption or a serious adverse impact on public safety”.
Thursday’s protest came four days after protesters from animal rights group Animal Rebellion protesters were filmed pouring milk on to the shop floor and meat counter of Harrods, as they called for a transition to a “plant-based food system”.
Footage shows several protesters pouring milk, taken from the shelves, on to display cabinets in Harrods’ food hall in Knightsbridge.
