SIX climate change campaigners from the Forest of Dean were among hundreds arrested in the Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests in London.

They were involved in “the takeover” of Lambeth Bridge as part of the South West England group, alongside the Extinction Rebellion Faith group, which included priests and Buddhist monks.

When police moved in to close the site, protestors then joined XR Bristol and XR Wales on Marsham Street outside the Home Office.

On Wednesday afternoon (October 9) as police moved in again, four XR Forest of Dean rebels were arrested under a Section 14 order for ‘obstruction of the highway’.

A Forest of Dean XR spokesperson said: “As they were taken away, there were loud cheers of support and the cry went up, ‘Police, we love you, we’re doing this for your children’.”

On Friday afternoon, another two Forest protestors were arrested on Bishopsgate outside The Government Oil and Gas Fiscal Summit, again under a Section 14 order.

Protesters were aiming to draw attention to the fossil fuel industry as a leading contributor to CO2 emissions and the climate emergency.

Other XR Forest rebels were involved in other protests throughout the week, including outside the Ministry of Justice, London City Airport, the BBC, the Extinction March and protecting the establishment of other protest sites, including in St James’ Park.

Hundreds of XR protestors have been arrested since the start of the ‘International Rebellion’ on Monday, October 7.

More than 40 residents from the Forest travelled to London to take part in the protests in a range of roles, said a group spokesperson.

In addition to “putting themselves forward for arrest”, these have included wellbeing support to offer emotional or physical support to protesters; supporting arrested protestors; legal observers; group co-ordinating; and running an XR art stand.

One of the Extinction Rebellion local group coordinators, Richard Henson, said: “More than 40 members of our local group alongside thousands of others from across the whole country have shown great resilience in London this week, despite strong opposition from the police and have supported each other conscientiously.

“Six members have been prepared to be arrested to demonstrate that they are willing to go to these lengths to bring the threat of climate change to the attention of as broad a range of people as possible.

“What is so important for us is to communicate the reason for our action.

“We are trying to disrupt the continuation of ‘business as usual’ in the face of an inadequate response from Government.

“It’s not that we are trying to cause trouble or have fun at other people’s expense,” he added.

“It’s because it’s crystal clear from a majority of the world’s scientists and many environmental experts that if we don’t act quickly we face catastrophic global breakdown, and that because there is such strong evidence this has already started and is affecting people and biodiversity across the planet badly, we must act decisively now.”

rotests to cease on Monday night, and moved in to clear protesters at the movement’s camp in Trafalgar Square.

But campaigners were ignoring the ban yesterday (Tuesday), as Extinction Rebellion UK continued to urge people to join them to peacefully disrupt and shut down parts of Central London.

The group says its non-violent actions will keep targeting corporations, ministries and other infrastructure that it argues supports a system taking the world to the brink of a global breakdown.

It has urged governments to tell the truth by giving more accurate facts about the climate and ecological emergency; to act now to halt biodiversity loss and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025; and to set up Citizens’ Assemblies on climate and ecological justice.