CUMBRIAN activists have been arrested in the latest road block protests conducted by Just Stop Oil in London.

Eleven people from Cumbria are among hundreds of Just Stop Oil supporters who have been arrested for blocking traffic in Central London bringing the capital to a standstill for the fifth week running.

They are demanding that the Government commits to ending all new oil and gas projects in the UK. 

The Cumbria activists include people from Kendal, Ambleside, Penrith, and Carlisle. 

Three members of the group - John Scott, Tommy Burnett, and Laura Mitchell - were from Kendal. 

READ MORE: Police urge public not to ‘directly intervene’ to move Just Stop Oil protesters

John, a father of two and teacher from Kendal, said: “I’m taking action for my two children and the young people I work with. 

“I feel threatened by the oncoming crop failures due to climate change. 

“The UK potato harvest this year is 40% down due to heat waves and drought and this is just a clue as to what’s coming in the near future - food insecurity and social breakdown. I would ask Sunak to align with France, Greenland, Denmark, Belize, Spain and Ireland and issue no new oil and gas exploration licenses.” 

Tommy, a taxi driver from Kendal, said “I’m taking action because the status quo needs to change; we cannot continue using fossil fuels when we know it is causing increasingly severe weather and making areas of the world uninhabitable. 

“I’m in civil resistance because I believe people’s health, and the health of our planet, is more important than the wealth of a few”

Laura, 66, from Kendal, was arrested for the first time on Thursday, said: “I was pleased but not surprised to read the report this week which said that most people in the country support people taking direct action to protect the climate because it’s a no brainer, if we carry on burning fossil fuels we face catastrophe so we need to stop. 

“The government and their fossil fuel friends are doing the exact opposite and the reason is simple: money and greed. 

“Those of us who don’t have power or influence have only our bodies and our liberty to offer in the fight against this madness but together we are incredibly powerful and we can turn this around - what choice do we have?”

Paul Martyn, 67, a furniture maker from Ambleside, has been arrested several times since the blockades began on October 1.

Paul said: “This week yet another scientific report, this time from the United Nations Environment Agency, tells us what we already know; we cannot go after new oil and gas and hope to have a viable future, and yet this is exactly what our government is doing.

“We have to go all out for renewables or we will lose everything we hold dear.”

Just Stop Oil supporters from the North of England blocked the three roads next to Mansion House Tube station on Thursday. 

The same group – 61 in total - returned on Saturday to block four locations across central London - Charing Cross Road, High Street Kensington, Harleyford Street and Blackfriars Road. Each time they disrupted traffic by sitting in the road with their now familiar banners. Some supporters glued themselves onto the tarmac while others locked on to each other with steel tubes, making their removal more difficult.

Rachel Dodsworth, a 61-year-old mum of two from Penrith, who works in social care, was arrested for the first time this week. 

She said: “I am not prepared to stand by while this criminal government continues to put profit and growth above dealing with climate collapse. 

“How many more extreme weather catastrophes does the world need to experience before our leaders take action to reduce fossil fuel consumption and invest in sustainable energy? The situation is urgent, we do not have any time to lose.”

Fiona Prior, a 59-year-old grandmother and retired teacher from Carlisle, was one of those who were arrested this week, having been arrested several times since the actions began on October 1. 

She said: “I’m taking action with Just Stop Oil because I want a future for my grandchild and for all of his generation, and by licensing new oil and gas our government is stealing that future from them and I cannot stand by and let that happen.

“This is a fight for survival and I’m joining thousands of ordinary people in civil resistance to prevent this genocidal madness.”