Eco-activists block Knightsbridge and spray paint Harrods on 20th day of protests in London
20 October 2022, 09:31 | Updated: 20 October 2022, 10:47
Eco-protesters have blocked traffic on Knightsbridge in London and sprayed paint on the outside of Harrods on their 20th day of protests.
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Just Stop Oil protesters sat in the middle of the road with banners while some glued their hands onto the tarmac and locked themselves together.
At 9am, 20 members arrived to wreak havoc, with two of them spraying the department store with orange paint.
The A4 by Harrods remains closed in both directions as police arrive at the scene.
A witness told LBC's Nick Ferrari that there had been a "really good" response from police, with 50 to 60 officers on location and people being dragged away in cuffs.
Cutting equipment has also been brought out to remove chains from the activists.
Eco-mob targets Knightsbridge and hits Harrods with paint
A video shared on Just Stop Oil's Twitter page showed protesters spraying their distinctive orange paint on the windows of the luxury shop, as members of the public can be heard asking "what are you doing?"
A second video showed Harrods security staff taking those spraying paint inside the store.
Met Police events said: "There are protesters on Brompton Road who have glued themselves to the road.
"Specialist officers are now in the process of removing them.
"Two people have been arrested so far today for criminal damage."
A spokesperson for Just Stop Oil said: "Our government is criminally incompetent and morally bankrupt.
"They are actively seeking to accelerate fossil fuel production, which will kill millions of people, while failing to address the worst cost of living crisis this country has ever seen.
"Vulnerable people will be freezing to death in their homes this winter, while the government refuses to tax the rich and the big energy companies that are profiting from our misery.
"We owe it to our young people to stop fossil fuels, we owe it to our workers to create a just transition to a zero carbon economy, we owe it to our old people to enable them to live with dignity.
"We need to rapidly reduce the demand for fossil fuel energy through a massive programme of renewables, insulation and free public transport paid for by taxing the fossil fuel companies obscene profits, and the rich who avoid paying their fair share."
