Police have locked down Parliament Square in response to a planned protest by climate change activist group Extinction Rebellion. Footage shows at least a dozen police surrounding Parliament Square, with riot vans also patrolling the area. The video was posted to Twitter, with one user commenting: “With Parliament back up and running this week I don’t think they want to risk a repeat of last weeks activities with the protesters controlling events like they did.” Another speculated: “To be honest I don’t think they rise that early. The police could have scaled down until after midday.

“However rain is forecast too so could be a no show.”

Police said they have a “robust” plan in place ahead of the proposed climate change protest in Parliament Square on Tuesday.

The proposed demonstration coincides with the first day Parliament is sitting following the Easter recess.

Scotland Yard has said protesters at Parliament Square must leave a designated area by 11.59pm on Tuesday.

A robust policing plan will be in place for the demonstration

Scotland Yard

The force warned: “Any organiser or person taking part in the protest failing to comply with these conditions or inciting others not to comply with them will be committing an offence and will be liable to arrest.”

They added: “A robust policing plan will be in place for the demonstration.”

More than 1,000 environmental campaigners have been arrested since the Extinction Rebellion protests kicked off last Monday.

As of 10am on Monday, 1,065 arrests had been made and 53 people charged, the Met Police said.

The group said it now hoped to negotiate with the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and the Met Police to continue its protest at Old Palace Yard in Westminster but will leave other sites.

Farhana Yamin, the group’s political co-ordinator, said being able to pause the protests showed it was an “organised and a long-term political force to be reckoned with”.

She added: “Week two marks a new phase of rebellion focused on negotiations where the focus will shift to our actual political demands.”

The protests have included climbing on trains at the Docklands Light Railway, blocking the junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street with a boat and occupying Waterloo Bridge.

Actress Dame Emma Thompson flew in from the US to join the protests.

And Olympic gold medallist Etienne Stott shouted of the “ecological crisis” as he was arrested and carried off Waterloo Bridge by four police officers on Sunday night.

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