DOZENS of climate protesters were arrested in London’s Parliament Square yesterday, just 10 minutes after they started marching against new oil and gas projects.

About 65 activists from Just Stop Oil were detained after the issuing of a Section 7 order, which criminalises members of the public based on alleged interference with “the use or operation of key national infrastructure.”

The group said Metropolitan Police officers pushed the protesters and formed a chain across the road to stop them from marching before dragging them away.

A spokesperson said: “Just Stop Oil supporters are willing to slow-march to the point of arrest today and every day until the police take action to prosecute the real criminals: the people who are facilitating new oil and gas when they know that to do so will kill hundreds of millions of people.

“Just in the last week, seven people have died in the UK as a result of extreme weather, and scientists are telling us it will only get worse.

“Neither major political party is serving the interests of the country: they are serving the mass murderers profiting while the world burns. There is no real opposition.”

Ahead of the action, protester Dr Ian Chapman said: “20 or 30 years from now, I won’t look back and regret having taken direct action, but I will regret it if I don’t.

“I expect to get arrested today, while the people in the building I’m marching past are making decisions that will kill millions.

“I will get off the road when the police take action against the real criminals.”

Just Stop Oil activists who protested on the M25 last year in breach of an injunction have been spared jail by a High Court judge. 

Mr Justice Soole issued a suspended prison sentence for two defendants and decided not to impose any penalty against 10 other defendants also found to have breached the injunction.