A COUNCILLOR from Scarborough was arrested for her role in a Just Stop Oil Protest in London.

Scarborough Labour councillor, Theresa Norton, 64, was arrested following the protests, which involved blocking roads to bring traffic in the capital to a standstill over the weekend (October 29-30).

Just Stop Oil supporters blocked the three roads next to Mansion House Tube station on Thursday (October 27).

They sat in the road holding banners to prevent drivers from passing.

The same group – 61 in total - returned on Saturday (October 29) to block four locations across central London - Charing Cross Road, High Street Kensington, Harleyford Street and Blackfriars Road.

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Some supporters glued themselves onto the tarmac while others locked on to each other with steel tubes, making their removal more difficult.

Cllr Theresa Norton said: “As a responsible citizen I feel I have no choice but to take action.

“The UN, the IPCC report and the International Energy Agency have all warned us we are heading towards societal and climate breakdown if we don’t immediately stop all new fossil fuels.

“And yet, here we are, with the Government giving the go-ahead to 130 new UK oil and gas projects.

“Any citizen of conscience must feel it is their duty to take peaceful nonviolent direct action.”

The London blockades come after the Government announced it plans to license more than 130 new oil and gas projects.

During the blockages there were scenes of drivers sounding horns and also others dragging protestors off the roads. 

Just Stop Oil say they are ‘peacefully resisting those plans’, and what they see as the government’s ‘failure to fulfil its promise to tackle the climate crisis and help people with their skyrocketing energy bills.’

A spokesperson from the campaign said “This is not a one-day event - expect us every day and anywhere. This is an act of resistance against a criminal government and their genocidal death project. Our supporters will not stop until our demand is met: no new UK oil and gas.

“We will not be intimidated by changes to the law; we will not be stopped by private injunctions sought to silence peaceful people. Our supporters understand that these are irrelevant when set against mass starvation, slaughter, the loss of our rights, freedoms and communities.”

Today (October 31), activists have sprayed orange paint on buildings in central London, demanding that the Government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents.

Just Stop Oil said its supporters sprayed paint from fire extinguishers on the Home Office, the MI5 building, the Bank of England and the headquarters of News Corp at London Bridge this morning (October 31).

The group previously attracted worldwide media attention after activists threw tomato soup at Vincent van Gough’s Sunflowers in London’s National Gallery on October 14.