Just Stop Oil protesters clash with public after blocking road in London as 26 arrested
Just Stop Oil climate activists have clashed with a motorist who said he was trying to take his partner to hospital as they blocked a road in east London.
The Metropolitan Police said officers were on the scene quickly and 26 arrests were made for wilful obstruction of the highway.
Around 30 protesters gathered on Shoreditch High Street at the junction of Great Eastern Street at around 12.15pm on Saturday where they set up a roadblock to disrupt traffic.
Several individuals "locked on" and glued themselves to the road surface, with police saying specialist officers were required to attend to carry out de-bonding.
Footage posted on Just Stop Oil's official Twitter account showed pedestrians and drivers growing angry at the demonstrators as they urged them to move.
In a clip, a driver tells the group sitting on the road to "move out the way" as another man appears and drags one of the protesters to the pavement.
After stopping his vehicle, the driver was heard telling the protesters: "My missus is not well, mate. She needs to get to the hospital. Get out of the f******* way, mate.
He added: "Have some respect for other people, not just yourselves, yeah. There's other people that need to get places."
Saturday marks the 15th day of demonstrations linked to the group - which wants the government to stop issuing all new oil and gas licences.
Elsewhere in the city, Animal Rebellion supporters have poured milk on to shop floors, displays and products across the country, including Harrods.
The group co-ordinated the action in shops including luxury store Fortnum and Mason in Piccadilly, Waitrose, Whole Foods and Marks and Spencer in London, Manchester, Norwich and Edinburgh just before 12pm on Saturday.
Video footage shows several protesters pouring milk, taken from the shelves, onto display cabinets in Harrods' food hall in Knightsbridge.
While another group was filmed emptying milk bottles on to the floor and across a table laden with cheeses in Fortnum and Mason in front of shocked shoppers and staff - as the group calls on the government to support farmers in a transition to a plant-based food system.
Earlier this week, two Just Stop Oil activists threw tomato soup over Van Gogh's masterpiece Sunflowers at the National Gallery.
The women walked into the gallery in London's Trafalgar Square and threw the contents of two tins of Heinz tomato soup over the famous 1888 painting, which has an estimated value of £72.5m.
Activists appear in court
Anna Holland, of Westgate Road in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and Phoebe Plummer, 21, of Elms Road in Clapham, south London, are both charged with criminal damage to the frame of the painting.
They both denied the offence during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Saturday morning.
Prosecutor Ola Oyedepo said the pair threw the "orange substance" knowing there was a protective case over the painting.
It is unclear what the value of the damage is - but it is believed to be "significantly below the £5,000 cost threshold", Ms Oyedepo added.
Defending, Katie McFadden told the court: "The prosecution needs to prove that damage has been caused."
Both defendants have been released on bail on the condition they do not enter galleries or museums and do not have paint or adhesive substances in public.
They are due to face trial at City of London Magistrates' Court on 13 December.
Meanwhile, Lora Johnson, 38, of Keens Lane, Reydon, Southwold in Suffolk, also appeared at Westminster Magistrates' court on Saturday to deny charges of criminal damage after the main sign outside New Scotland Yard was covered with yellow paint on Friday.
Ms Oyedepo told the court £4,750 was spent trying to remove the paint from the sign and the ground beneath it.
Johnson was also granted bail on the condition she does not have paint or adhesives in public and is scheduled to be tried at City of London Magistrates' Court on 23 November.
District judge, Tan Irkan, told Johnson: "The court will not prevent you from lawfully protesting."
Almost 30 arrested after protests on Friday
The force added that 28 arrests were made in total in relation to protests in central London on Friday.
Demonstrators also blocked the road in front of the Metropolitan Police's headquarters during Just Stop Oil's action.
Police said 25 other people have been bailed pending further inquiries.
