Seventh day of climate change protests in London

The climate change protesters entered a second week of campaigning to have the government declare a climate emergency. Extinction Rebellion announced that they were switching disruptive tactics for political negotiation following a week of mass disruption for commuters in central London.

London: A former police sergeant said he never expected to be among climate protesters waiting to be arrested, as the group enters a second week of campaigning to have the government declare a climate emergency.

Extinction Rebellion (XR) announced on Sunday they were switching disruptive tactics for political negotiation following a week of mass disruption for commuters in central London.

The group hopes to negotiate with the Mayor of London and Metropolitan Police to agree specific areas where demonstrators can remain.

Former Metropolitan Police Detective Sergeant John Curran said he has sympathy for the public and the police, but said if the government didn't act now it would become "too late."

"I never expected to be standing here, waiting to be arrested. I never expected that to happen. But I feel strongly enough and the urgency is there that that's the decision I've come to," he said.

A total of 831 arrests have been made since Monday in connection with the ongoing XR protests, with 42 people charged, Scotland Yard said.

XR has proposed that the group be allowed to stay at Old Palace Yard and leave the other sites, including Waterloo Bridge where a garden has been set up.