Extinction Rebellion protesters glued themselves to buildings after being warned they face arrest on the second day of their international action.

Climate change activists camped overnight to maintain their stronghold on parts of central London, telling police they were prepared to be taken into custody for failing to comply with orders to move their protest to a single site at Trafalgar Square.

Police handed out notices across Westminster yesterday morning, where campaigners kept an overnight vigil, in an attempt to reduce the disruption in the capital and concentrate the action on one area.

However, protesters glued themselves to the Department for Transport building and to the underside of a lorry outside the Home Office in defiance of the notices.

In a statement yesterday afternoon, Metropolitan Police said any group wishing to continue with its Extinction Rebellion protest “must” go to Trafalgar Square, adding: “The condition does not have a time limit.

“In order to impose this condition, the Met required evidence that serious disruption was being caused to communities in London. The Met believes this action is necessary to prevent the demonstrations from causing serious disruption to the community.

“Anyone who fails to comply with the condition is liable to arrest and prosecution.”

The Met said yesterday afternoon they had arrested 152 people and had arrested another 319 people on Monday, well over the 122 arrests made on the first day of similar protests last April.

However, Scotland Yard was unable to provide further details on what people were arrested on suspicion of.

It came as Prime Minister Boris Johnson described activists as “unco-operative crusties”.

Claudia Fisher, 57, from Brighton, said: “We are a little bit crusty, I’ll put my hands up to it, after a night sleeping out on the grounds of Whitehall, but we’re not unco-operative. We’re very co-operative.

“We don’t take offence, we don’t have blame, we don’t go around calling people names, that’s not the way we do things.

“We value what everyone has to say and would like to hear what he has to say. We would like him to show us the same respect and hear what we have to say.”

Former Metropolitan Police detective sergeant John Curran, 49, who camped overnight at the protests, said he was willing to be arrested again after being detained by officers during the first round of action in April.

Mr Curran, who has a three-year-old daughter and now makes guitars for a living in Oxford, said: “I am willing to be arrested again unless some changes happen. Clearly, there is some frustration (for the police) that they probably have better things to be doing, and I agree, but the responsibility for that must lie with the Government. Take action and we won’t have to be here.”

He added: “I’m not going to stoop to his (Mr Johnson’s) level of name-calling. Take action: that’s the only demand that I have.”

An Extinction Rebellion lorry, parked outside the Home Office, became a focal point for some protesters who glued themselves underneath the vehicle while several hundred protesters spent yesterday sitting on either side of the police blockade at the building.

Thunder and rain did nothing to dampen the spirits of those outside the Home Office, even as part of their campsite began to flood.

Many took shelter alongside police officers under buildings and in nearby shops, while others sang and danced in the downpour, which began at about 4pm.

Several tents were upturned in the wind and water began to collect along Marsham Street, forcing some activists to pack up their belongings quickly.

A large piece of blue tarpaulin was held over those who lay on the ground locked together in Westminster amid the downpour by their fellows activists.
Some 200 are thought to have camped in tents overnight on nearby Horseferry Road and the surrounding area.

Many said they were prepared to stay in their makeshift camp. 

Mike Gumn, 33, from Bristol, camped overnight wearing a suit and a flat cap 
to show the protest “is for everyone”. 

Mr Gumn, an NHS manager who has children aged two and three, said: “I have a job, I have taken annual leave to be here. I’d rather be with my family.

“I want to make a statement that (the protesters) are all different sorts of people from all different walks of life, not just people you would call hippies.”

On being arrested, he said: “We will decide as a group when we are going to move, and we are not going to let police tell us when. I would not like to get arrested, but if that happens when I am exercising my right to protest and deliver a good life for my children, then I will take it on the chin.”

Further disruption is expected throughout the week.