Extinction Rebellion protests: Police arrest more than 680 people

The Metropolitan Police has arrested more than 680 Extinction Rebellion climate change protestors since Monday. 

Protestors caused disruption across London with a particularly large presence on Oxford Street, where police have tried allow shops to return to "business as usual".

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: "Officers have made a number of arrests, mainly focused at Oxford Circus, as we are trying our best to give the businesses a chance to return to 'business as usual'.

"One thing that is unusual about this demonstration is the willingness of those participating to be arrested and also their lack of resistance to the arrests.

"To date (since Monday 15 April), we have made over 680 arrests and of course that places a logistical problem on, and not just, the police service for cell space but also the wider criminal justice system."

Police guard the pink boat which had been a focal point of the demonstration (Source: Getty)

More than 100 arrests were made on Friday, bringing the total to 682 for the week.

Police also dismantled a pink boat that had been moored to the street for the past five days, with the words "Tell the Truth" written on the side. 

It had been a focal point of the protest in the middle of Oxford Street but police were able to circle it and take it apart once the last activist was removed.

Actress Emma Thompson had read a poem to protestors while stood on the boat earlier in the day.

Extinction Rebellion tweeted: "The police have started to make arrests in Oxford Circus after we finished reading out our poems to the crowd.

"We need the government to take radical action now.

"Please listen to the people. Or stand aside and let something better emerge."

Climate change protestors also gathered at Heathrow Airport on Good Friday after threatening to disrupt flights on one of the airports busiest days of the year. 

But despite a heavy police presence no roads were closed or flights delayed.