The Metropolitan Police have arrested a total of 10 Just Stop Oil activists in 'an intelligence-led operation' over an attempt to disrupt Heathrow Airport yesterday, Wednesday 24 July.

Seven protesters were taken into custody at the airport itself in two groups stationed around the perimeter fence, while three more were arrested at 'other locations', say police. 

The Met has also confirmed the protestors were carrying 'cutting gear and glue' among other items when they were found.

Just Stop Oil has itself announced the arrested members will appear in court this morning, "where they will either be bailed and released or remanded to prison." 

A Met spokesperson said: "It is believed JSO intended to gain access to the airside environment through the secure perimeter fence and doing so would have led to the suspension of flight operations causing a major impact to international aviation."

Nine of the arrests were made Wednesday morning, with the tenth being made later that afternoon after the news broke.

Chief Superintendent Ian Howells, who led the operation, said: "These arrests are an excellent example of coordinated action by colleagues from across the Met to prevent the significant disruption intended by JSO.

"This planned action was extremely reckless and would have represented a real risk to the travelling public."

He continued: "This type of action is completely unacceptable. The Met will continue to work with our national policing colleagues, airport operators and the wider aviation sector to prevent such criminal acts and to safeguard the travelling public. 

"Anyone who compromises the safety and security of our airports will face the full force of the law."

The demonstration was part of what Just Stop Oil described as an 'international uprising', with 13 similar groups causing delays and shutdowns in Norway, Germany, Finland, Spain, and Switzerland.

The Met confirmed this, writing in its statement: "Internationally, other environmental activists have taken action at a number of European airports with significant impact."

Just Stop Oil hopes this latest action, though a failure, will continue to raise awareness and support for their demand for the UK Government to stop the use of oil by 2030 and mitigate the more serious effects of climate change.