Just Stop Oil: 26 arrested after police unglue protesters near Barons Court

[Video from Just Strop Oil/Twitter]

Police unglued protesters blocking a busy London road during rush hour and arrested 26 people in the latest protest by campaign group Just Stop Oil.

Demonstrators lined up on the A4 and brought traffic grinding to a halt during a series of co-ordinated protests which also included blocking the QE2 Bridge linking Kent and Essex.

The environmental activist group demanded that the Government “halts all new oil and gas licences and consents”.

Shortly after 8:30am police arrested 26 activists blocking Talgarth Road near Barons Court Tube station.

"Police were rapidly on scene. Specialist officers attended and unglued those who had stuck themselves to the road or each other," a Met Police statement said. "All were arrested on suspicion of wilful obstruction of the highway and taken into custody at a south London police station. "Police had reopened the road in both directions by about 09:30hrs," the statement added.

One protester, from Tunbridge Wells, said she was "terrified" for her children and wanted to take action to safeguard their future.

"I'm doing all I can to try and effect change... history tells us that direct action is the way to effect change so we have to keep trying and have to keep doing this," the protester said.

To the east of London, traffic was severely gridlocked as Just Stop Oil protesters stayed on top of the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.

A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said: "My understanding is that they are going to stay up there until they're brought down, that's my understanding at the moment."

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