A “suspicious package” has been removed from Whitehall as protests continue to cause disruption in the city.
Not to be deterred after being torn down from the roof of a train, London-based Extinction Rebellion protestors have once again made their disruptive presence felt.
Despite an official ban from carrying out actions on by London Metropolitan Police, the group continues to perform demonstrations throughout the English capital.
On Friday, police cleared protestors from Oxford Circus after they constructed a pyramid, blocking the busy street off to shoppers and pedestrians.
Police were eventually forced to use a cherry picker and electric saws in order to remove individuals who had locked themselves to the structure.
In further dramatic scenes, one protestor scaled the scaffolding at the base of Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster in order to drape an Extinction Rebellion flag.
Sky News posted video of the incident on Friday afternoon via Twitter, noting that the man has been officially named by the protest group as tree surgeon Ben Atkinson.
Donning a blonde wig, Atkinson seemingly dressed up as UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the stunt.
An #ExtinctionRebllion activist, named by the protest group as tree surgeon Ben Atkinson, has 'free-climbed' the base of Big Ben.
He is reportedly wearing a costume and a blonde wig mimicking the PM Boris Johnson.
Follow the latest on this story: https://t.co/OM1ySPeyXp pic.twitter.com/LO3iA7qX4Q
— Sky News (@SkyNews) October 18, 2019
London Metropolitan Police also removed a “suspicious package” from Whitehall.
“Specialist officers attended and made the package safe after they were informed at 15.01 hours,” a statement confirmed.
“The cordon has now been lifted. Enquiries continue. The public are thanked for their patience.”
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