Derbyshire protesters arrested in London for bringing the centre of the capital to a standstill

They were among over 30 supporters of Just Stop Oil, who were blocking traffic in the city centre for days.

Just Stop Oil is a coalition of groups working together to ensure that the government commits to ending all new licenses and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK.

This week, 30 supporters of the group, mainly from the Midlands, blocked traffic for five days in a row.

The protesters sat down on the approach roads to Lambeth Bridge establishing roadblocks and halting traffic on two key roads. Some glued themselves to the tarmac, and a number have locked themselves together using steel tubes.

Just Stop Oil’s occupation of Westminster also comes against a background of an energy price hike on October 1.

Mya Bain, 35, an animator and science communicator from Derbyshire who was arrested on Wednesday said: “Ordinary people are going to suffer and die from the cost of living crisis and climate breakdown. Yet instead of supporting the transition to cheap clean renewables our criminal Government is doing everything they can to protect the interests of the fossil fuel industry.

“I can not stand by and do nothing while these greedy liars in power let millions suffer just to let the rich get richer. The Government is actively contributing to climate breakdown which means millions of people dying due to extreme weather, thirst, starvation and conflict.

“They are slashing public services, handing out tax cuts to the rich, licensing more fossil fuel developments and ripping up environmental regulations because of their delusional ideas about economic growth and trickle down economics. Everyone needs to be in resistance to halt this government’s murderous plan”