A Wiltshire mum has been arrested during a Just Stop Oil march which invaded Hamleys toy store in London.
Rebecca Cassar, a mother of three from Bradford on Avon, was arrested on Shaftesbury Avenue during a “mum’s march” through the capital which halted traffic for over half an hour on the busy road.
She was one of three women arrested during the incident, and was taken into custody after police arrived at around 12pm on Wednesday, July 12, and issued a Section 12 ordering the protesters to leave the road.
Mrs Cassar and one other mum refused to leave the road and were subsequently arrested.
The 44-year-old said: “As a mother, I refuse to look away and be a bystander. I am desperately trying to safeguard my children’s future.
“We can’t continue extracting fossil fuels if our children are to have any kind of safe future. I am marching in solidarity with other mums today to demand that our government cease all licensing for new fossil fuels.
“My children’s future depends upon it. Change is coming whether we like it or not, but if we act now and act together it can be a positive change for everyone and everything we love about the world.”
In total 24 mothers, all from the South West, took part in the demonstration.
The group slow marched along the road in a campaign against new oil and gas licenses, holding signs which read “give our kids hope” and “I am a mother, I won’t look away.”
After the arrests, the remaining activists travelled to Hamleys Toy Store on Regent Street where they staged a further protest.
Read more: Just Stop Oil protest in Chippenham blocks busy roads
This involved some protesters invading the iconic store before they were escorted out by security guards.
Chrissie Aslett, another Braford on Avon mother and a retired nurse, was also on the march.
The 62-year-old added: “The UN Secretary General has said we need to rapidly decarbonise and yet our government is approving over 100 new Oil and Gas licences. This is genocidal action.
“Drought, floods, fires, food instability, mass migration are the legacy we will hand our children unless we stop all new Oil and Gas licensing immediately.”
On Monday Just Stop Oil announced Wiltshire supporters would be joining 86 protesters who are slow marching through the capital every day this week.
This is part of a campaign targeting London’s roads that is now in its twelfth week, with over 800 people taking part in protests since April.
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