EXTINCTION Rebellion staged protests, talks, music events and direct action protests as they shut down roads across the West End.

The “autumn uprising” included a “Burning Earth” festival in Trafalgar Square where there was a “jubilant” atmosphere throughout Monday, according to organisers.

A samba band lifted the mood during the day and the band Orbital played a set in the evening while a “mega kitchen” served vegan food.

There were talks about the climate anxiety – the fear of the planet’s impending doom. A hearse blocked the Whitehall entrance to the square in a symbol of the urgency and seriousness of the climate emergency.

XR symbols were shone across Westminster Abbey.

More than 400 MPs collected free trees from Parliament Square as part of a campaign against deforestation. There had been more than 600 arrests.

Tonight (Friday) there is a workshop for “rebel writers” in Trafalgar Square from 5pm with leading authors James Miller, Monique Roffrey, Jonathan Franzen, Ali Smith and Robert Macfarlane among the many speakers.