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Over 700 climate change activists arrested as protests disrupt travel in London

Click to play video: 'London police remove, arrest climate activists by Oxford Circus boat'
London police remove, arrest climate activists by Oxford Circus boat
WATCH: London police remove, arrest climate activists by Oxford Circus boat – Apr 19, 2019

More than 700 climate change activists blocking roads at some of London’s most famous landmarks have been arrested over the last six days, police said on Saturday, up from a total given on Friday of more than 682.

The protests, organized by climate group Extinction Rebellion, have for several days disrupted travel through parts of central London, including at Oxford Circus, Marble Arch and Waterloo Bridge.

Extinction Rebellion has called for non-violent civil disobedience to force the British government to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025 and stop what it calls a global climate crisis.

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“As of 10:00 a.m. on Saturday … more than 718 people have been arrested since Monday. Twenty-eight people have been charged,” London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

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WATCH: Climate change activists superglue themselves to London train

Click to play video: 'Climate change activists superglue themselves to London train'
Climate change activists superglue themselves to London train

The police reiterated that protests were only allowed to continue at Marble Arch, but have not said if or how they will clear the hundreds of demonstrators from other locations.

On Friday star Emma Thompson joined activists at Oxford Circus, at the heart of one of the capital’s most popular shopping districts, to read poetry praising Earth’s bounties.

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