Extinction Rebellion: More than 300 arrested as protesters close bridges and glue themselves to floor outside House of Lords
Campaigners said they were demanding “a plant-based food system" to mitigate worst of climate crisis
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Your support makes all the difference.More than 300 people have been arrested during a third day of climate change protests in central London.
The Metropolitan Police said more than 200 arrests were linked to a demonstration on Lambeth Bridge on Thursday afternoon, which saw the bridge closed to traffic.
Earlier in the day, some protesters glued themselves to the ground around Parliament while others staged a sit-in elsewhere around the perimeter of the parliamentary estate, including at the Carriage Gates.
Some Extinction Rebellion (XR) supporters said they "jumped the barriers and ran past armed police to glue (themselves) on to the floor outside the House of Lords".
A separate protest, carried out by XR ally Animal Rebellion, saw activists glue themselves on top of and inside a pink slaughterhouse truck parked sideways across nearby Victoria Street.
The campaigners said they were demanding "a plant-based food system as a means to mitigate the worst impacts of the climate crisis and reduce the risk of future pandemics".
They have previously used fake blood in their demonstrations.
Protests are due to continue on Friday and the Met has imposed conditions meaning the gatherings can only take place off the main roads at Parliament Square between 8am and 7pm.
XR wants the Government to declare a climate and ecological emergency, reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025 and establish a "citizens' assembly on climate and ecological justice", and is undertaking 10 days of planned action.
Some 160 arrests were made on the first day of action on Tuesday, for offences including breaching public order conditions, obstructing the highway, obstructing police and assault on an emergency worker, while 72 people had been arrested as of 5pm on Wednesday, the majority for breaching conditions imposed on the Parliament Square demonstration.
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