Five activists have reportedly been arrested after Extinction Rebellion “occupied” the London headquarters of an international law firm to demand that it “cut ties with fossil fuels”.
The protesters targeted the City of London offices of A&O Shearman entering the lobby and spraying windows with fake oil.
The activists said the protest was an escalation from last week when Lawyers are Responsible, along with doctors and scientists, targeted five law firms including A&O Shearman.
Extinction Rebellion told the Standard that five activists had been arrested by 2pm on Wednesday.
Footage from the protest showed one activist lying on the floor in the law firm’s lobby before he was dragged away and carried to a police van.
Dr Sara Melly from Hampshire, said at the protest: “The future is in renewable energy and in prosecuting Big Oil for knowingly causing death and destruction from global heating and climate change.
“We demand A&O Shearman cut their ties with the fossil fuel industry immediately.”
In addition to this demand, Extinction Rebellion has called on A&O Shearman employees to “refuse to work for their fossil fuel clients or leave” and for new legal talent to “find work elsewhere”.
A figure dressed as the Grim Reaper sat on scaffolding outside the entrance to the building.
Black smoke billowed from a flare he held as other protesters banged drums.
The activist group claimed that the law firm is responsible for over £285 billion of fossil fuel transactions.
Marcus Bailie, who travelled from South Wales to take part in the protest, said: “Many will have seen the flooded houses and businesses featured in national news.
“That’s all people are talking about in Pontypridd and everybody knows the cause.
“It is outrageous that A&O Shearman and other major law firms are still enabling fossil fuel extraction.”
James Knapp, 58, also at the protest, said: “Profiting from this suffering is unconscionable and reeks of desperate greed.
“In the end none of us can survive an overheated planet.”
A&O Shearman have been contacted for comment. The Met Police have also been approached for details.
