In preparation for a protest bike ride this evening, seven members of the environmental action group, ‘Climate Rush’, have obstructed the main entrance to a coal conference, ‘Coal: An answer to our energy security.’ The bike rush: ‘Climate Rush presents Pedal Power’, will set off from outside this coal conference as it ends at 17:30.

On arriving at Chatham House the Climate Rushers held up a bike sculpture and a banner that read ‘NO NEW COAL – CLIMATE RUSH’. They were aggressively removed by the police and so far two young women, Yamuna (22, student) and Hannah (21, student) and three others have been arrested for aggravated trespass.

The group was demonstrating against the building of new coal fired power stations, recently given the go ahead by Ed Milliband MP. They had created a bike sculpture to represent how we must look to alternative sources of energy and transport if we are to avoid runaway climate change.

A member of the group, Marina Pepper, said:

"Our politicians are failing us on climate change, allowing multinational corporations to continue to sell us energy from coal, because there's a profit in it. Putting the desire for profits before the needs of people and our planet is morally reprehensible. This is why we take direct action and will keep taking direct action”

The Bike Rush begins in St James Square at 17:00 and will end with a ceilidh and picnic in an undisclosed location.