Just Stop Oil activists spray orange paint over Home Office, MI5, News UK and Bank of England buildings | Politics News

Climate 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 News Building, the headquarters of News UK at London Bridge, on Monday morning.

The group said the buildings were chosen to represent the pillars that support and maintain the power of the fossil fuel economy.

Scotland Yard said protesters threw paint in a number of locations, naming Marsham Street, Millbank, London Bridge and Threadneedle Street.

“Officers responded quickly to all incidents and a number of people have now been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage,” the force tweeted.

City of London Police said four people were arrested outside the Bank of England.

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said: “We are not prepared to stand by and watch while everything we love is destroyed, while vulnerable people go hungry and fossil fuel companies and the rich profit from our misery.”

The campaign group accused the government of ignoring “sensible” policies like renewable energy and insulating homes, saying this would “cut our energy bills and our carbon emissions”.

The statement continued: “We’re done with begging. We are acting to stop new oil and gas because it is the right thing to do.

“As citizens, as parents we have every right under British law to protect ourselves and those we love.”

It comes amid a month-long campaign of direct action from Just Stop Oil, which has closed the Dartford Crossing, smeared chocolate cake over a waxwork of King Charles, and thrown various things, including mash potato and soup, over famous pieces of art in recent weeks.

The protests have at times sparked angry responses from the public.

On Sunday, drivers dragged protesters out of the way and a woman shouted that they were stopping her sick child from passing as activists blocked two roads in east London.

The disruption has prompted police to issue a warning telling people not to take the law into their own hands and “directly intervene” to move protesters.

Over 650 Just Stop Oil activists have been arrested since 1 October, accounting for more than 7,900 officer shifts, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Matt Twisty has said.