Arrests made, but climate protest passes off peacefully
A day of action by climate protesters was able to pass largely without incident.
Only three arrests were made by police at a climate protest, which saw members of Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil occupy the ground floor of an insurance building in Birmingham city centre as part of a day of action on Friday.
The protest around Victoria Square saw the supporters occupy the Colmore Building, which is home to insurance companies Allianz, Chubb and Zurich, and staged a lie-in in the lobby.
West Midlands Police said the rally passed largely without incident, but confirmed that three arrests were made by officers using powers under the Section 11 Public Order Act.
A spokesman said: "A demonstration in Birmingham city centre today passed largely without incident.
"Officers were visible in the city to help the group of protesters move through safely while still protecting members of the public.
"Despite the largely peaceful nature of the demonstration, there were three arrests made.
"Officers used powers under the Section 11 Public Order Act which gives officers the additional power to carry out suspicion-less stop and searches linked to protest activity.
"The arrests were as a result of the powers being used. Thankfully the demonstration was largely peaceful with limited disruption to the city centre.
"We always seek to find the right balance between the rights of protestors and those of local residents and businesses, while working to minimise serious disruption to communities.
"We hope that the public and businesses in the city felt reassured by our presence today and felt very little disruption to their day.
"A policing presence will continue in the city centre into this evening."
Just Stop Oil posted a statement on its website to say the action was in solidarity with an east African campaign group working to stop an oil pipeline being built.
A spokesman for Just Stop Oil said: "Today’s action is in solidarity with Students Against EACOP, a Ugandan based campaign group who are resisting the construction of the East Africa Crude Oil Pipeline, a project that has wrought huge environmental destruction and mass displacement of people across the African Continent."
