Just Stop Oil protesters strike at luxury store Harrods

Just Stop Oil (JSO) supporters have marched through luxury department store Harrods in the latest stunt in the group’s ongoing protest action.

The activists were pictured holding placards on an escalator in the Knightsbridge shop, before security bundled a photographer out of the building, JSO said.

A number of slow marches were held on Wednesday including 34 supporters who marched in six groups in Hammersmith, Victoria, Westminster, Kensington and Tower Bridge from around 8am, with a further four from 10am including Parliament Square.

Four people were arrested on Wednesday including one supporter, named by JSO as Reverend Bill White, who has been arrested three times this week while taking part in slow marches.

A spokesperson for Harrods said: “A group from Just Stop Oil staged a small protest in store today before being swiftly escorted out of the building by our security team. There was no impact on operations, and we continued to welcome customers in store as normal.”

It is the latest in near daily protest action that has been organised by JSO since April 24, as it calls on the government to end new fossil fuel licences.

Policing the demonstrations has cost the Metropolitan Police more than £5.5 million so far, on top of the £7.5 million it spent dealing with JSO protests between October and December last year.

Security has been tightened at Wimbledon in a bid to avoid the group disrupting play with their trademark orange powder paint, after a number of other high-profile sporting events were disrupted.

England cricketer Johnny Bairstow carried one demonstrator off the pitch during disruption of the second Ashes test at Lord’s, following protest action at the Gallagher Premiership rugby final at Twickenham and the World Snooker Championship.

JSO also disrupted the Chelsea Flower Show and the London Pride march.