Extinction Rebellion - live: Climate activists dance with police officers while three charged over Tube protest face month in custody
As climate change protests continued for a fourth day on Thursday, leaked WhatsApp messages suggested activists are planning to "shut down" Heathrow Airport on Good Friday.
The airport said it was "working with the authorities" to address any threat of disruption over the long Easter weekend.
It came after Metropolitan Police updated the arrest figure to 428 on Thursday.
Home secretary Sajid Javid offered his support to the police and condemned any "unlawful protests", while London mayor Sadiq Khan suggested cuts to police funding were restricting the Met's ability to cope with the demonstrations.
Three activists appeared in court where they pleaded not guilty to charges relating to their alleged involvement in obstructing trains at Canary Wharf station on Wednesday morning.
They were remanded in custody for a month until they next appear at Blackfriars Crown Court on 16 May.
Follow how the protests develop throughout the day
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage as climate change protests enter a fourth day.
Extinction Rebellion organisers say they are expecting "thousands more rebels" to join their demonstrations over the Easter weekend.
The protest group disrupted London Tube line yesterday and Waterloo Bridge is closed to traffic today, while activists are also blocking part of Vauxhall Bridge.
Co-founder Dr Gail Bradbrook has warned the group’s tactics will escalate if its demands “are not met”.
Extinction Rebellion co-founder Dr Gail Bradbrook is encouraging people to take time off work and join protesters.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she said: "I think our protest has been awesome, we are making history at the minute...people are having a fantastic time on the streets."
When presenter Nick Robinson pointed out that some people were having a "miserable" because of the disruption caused, she added: "They should take some time off work and come and join us."
Two men and a woman are due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court today after allegedly climbing on top of a train at Canary Wharf station in east London on Wednesday.
They were each charged with obstructing trains or carriages on the railway by an unlawful act contrary to Section 36 of the Malicious Damage Act 1861.
Mark Carney, governor of the Bank of England, has warned banks they cannot ignore the “catastrophic” effects of climate change and must be at the heart of tackling the problem.
Along with other central bankers from around the world, he called on governments and financial institutions to take a pivotal role in keeping temperature rises “well below 2C” as pledged under the Paris climate agreement.
Mr Carney said the “enormous human and financial costs of climate change are having a devastating effect on our collective wellbeing”.
Three people have pleaded not guilty to charges relating to climbing on top of a train during climate change protests and have been remanded in custody until next month.
The two men and a woman appeared at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Thursday morning in relation to the incident during Extinction Rebellion (XR) protests at Canary Wharf station in London the previous day.
They have not been granted bail and will remain in custody until they are next due to appear at court on 16 May.
Two police officers were caught on video dancing in the centre of a large crowd of protesters in central London last night.
The pair can be seen throwing their hands in the air as they dance along to shouts of "we love it, we love it" in Oxford Circus.
Waterside Cafe Wildlife Garden shared the video on Twitter alongside the message "police solidarity with Extinction Rebellion at Oxford Circus! Brilliant!"
The Metropolitan Police have begun inquiries to identify two officers videoed dancing with climate change protesters in Oxford Circus on Wednesday night.
Commander Jane Connors said she was "disappointed by the video and the unacceptable behaviour of the officers in it".
She said: "We expect our officers to engage with protesters but clearly their actions fall short of the tone of the policing operation at a time when people are frustrated at the actions of the protesters.
"We will be reminding officers of their responsibilities and expectations in policing this operation - however the majority of officers have been working long hours and I am grateful to them for their continued commitment."
Footage on social media appears to show police officers arresting a protester on Oxford Street, where a large pink boat at the junction with Regent Street has led to road closures.
One activist could be seen being carried away by a group of officers in hi-vis jackets, while supporters applauded.
The arrest took place amid a smattering of whistles and whoops from the crowd, while a DJ played Bob Marley's One Love in the background.
The London branch of Extinction Rebellion, which posted the clip, said: "Police getting stuck in at Oxford Circus ... We respect they have a job to do but so do we; to get our government to act now and avoid irreversible climate change & ecological collapse. If you eat food or drink water, this is for you. Join us in #ExtinctionRebellion today!"
Sir David Attenborough has warned of a "man-made disaster on a global scale" and a "devastating future" if action is not taken to combatclimate change.
The veteran broadcaster delivers a stark warning in the new documentary Climate Change: The Facts, which airs on BBC One tonight.
He says: "It may sound frightening but the scientific evidence is that if we have not taken dramatic action within the next decade we could face irreversible damage of the natural world, and the collapse of our societies.
"We are running out of time but there is still hope. I believe that if we better understand the threat we face, the more likely it is that we can avoid such a catastrophic future.
"Our climate is changing because of one simple fact...our world is getting hotter."
Climate change protesters have threatened to “raise the bar” and “shut down” Heathrow Airport on Good Friday, according to an apparent leaked WhatsApp message.
Activists could spark travel chaos if they go ahead with plans to target the country’s busiest airport at the start of the long Easter weekend.
Screenshots shared on social media show a message addressed to “rebels” which says: “Tomorrow we raise the bar. We are going to shut down Heathrow.
“There is a deep remorse for those whose holiday and family plans will be disrupted tomorrow. It is not our intention to cause further separation.
“However, the aviation industry needs to be targeted and we are all aware of the deep, structural change that needs to come.”
The group is planning to meet at a petrol station close to the airport at 8am on Friday, according to the messages.
The message says protesters will use a “standard swarming process” and claims that “if there are lots of us, there will be a low risk of arrest”.
Home secretary Sajid Javid has pledged his full support to the police in London where officers have arrested more than 420 people over four days of protests.
He also condemned "unlawful" protesters for causing "misery" to people's lives with disruption.
He said: “Everyone has the right to protest peacefully – it’s a cherished, long-standing British tradition and a fundamental cornerstone of the democracy we live in.
Home secretary Sajid Javid (Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)
“But people do not have the right to break the law and significantly disrupt the lives of others.
"Let me be clear - I totally condemn any protesters who are stepping outside the boundaries of the law.
"They have no right to cause misery for the millions of people who are trying to lead their daily lives. Unlawful behaviour will not be tolerated."
London's mayor Sadiq Khan suggested cuts to police funding have restricted the Metropolitan Police's ability to cope with the demonstrations.
In a letter to home secretary Sajid Javid, he said: "I support the right to peaceful and lawful protest - which is a cornerstone of our democracy.
"But this right must be balanced against the need to ensure the safety and security of all Londoners, as well as the continued running of our city.
"The Met take a consistent approach to protests regardless of the cause that motivates the protesters. Mayor of London Sadiq Khan with Metropolitan Police officers (Yui Mok/PA)
"However, the Met's ability to police protests without impacting on core policing priorities - such as tackling knife crime - has been made significantly harder by the huge cuts to Government police funding."
He said he would be working with Scotland Yard to consider whether a claim for a special grant from the Home Office would be justified "to compensate for the costs of policing the current protests".
Heathrow Airport has said it is "working with the authorities" to address any threat of protests that could disrupt it.
A spokesman said: "While we respect the right to peaceful protest and agree with the need to act on climate change, we don't agree that passengers should have their well-earned Easter break holiday plans with family and friends disrupted.
"Passengers should contact their airlines for up-to-date information on their journeys."
One of the legal observers monitoring the arrests at Oxford Circus estimated at least 30 people were detained over the past two hours.
One of these was a boy of 15, she said, who quietly got to his feet and was led away by police as supporters cheered.
Other demonstrators could be seen avoiding police officers' attempts to communicate with them, by picking up their phones or starting conversations with their neighbours.
According to the London branch of Extinction Rebellion, actress Emma Thompson has joined protesters at Marble Arch - where police have allowed demonstrations to continue legally.
