London climate protests enter fourth day

LONDON: London commuters faced further disruption on Thursday as climate change protests continued to bring parts of the British capital to a standstill, leading to over 300 arrests.

Transport for London tweeted that "bus routes which usually serve stops in central London remain diverted -- curtailed due to an ongoing protest which is blocking several roads." A total of 340 protesters have been arrested so far during this week's "Extinction Rebellion" event, and three people will appear in court on Thursday charged with obstructing trains at financial hub Canary Wharf.

Demonstrators began blocking off a bridge and major central road junctions on Monday at the start of a civil disobedience campaign that also saw action in other parts of Europe. The Extinction Rebellion group was established last year in Britain by academics and has become one of the world´s fastest-growing environmental movements.

"We expect demonstrations to continue throughout the coming weeks," a Metropolitan Police said. The arrest figure includes three men and two women who were detained at the UK offices of energy giant Royal Dutch Shell on suspicion of criminal damage.

Campaigners daubed graffiti and smashed a window at the Shell Centre building. Other activists chained themselves to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's garden fence. The majority arrested were seized for breaching public order laws and obstructing a highway.