The Metropolitan Police have spent nearly £14,000 on vegan meals for Extinction Rebellion activists in custody in the last year.

Many members of the group, also known as XR, got themselves deliberately arrested during demonstrations intended to bring attention to what they termed a climate and ecological emergency.

Between September 30 and October 17, a total of £4,651.09 was spent on vegan meals for activists in custody, according to a Freedom of Information request obtained by MailOnline.

Inspector Brian Smith of Brixton station revealed the force had ordered in extra vegan portions for the October protests after activists moaned about a lack of meat-free options in April. Inspector Smith poses with a selection of vegan and vegetarian portions for detainees inside the station's cells

Pictured: Police lead an Extinction Rebellion protester away during central London demonstrations

Met Police have spent more than £13,000 on vegan meals for Extinction Rebellion activists in custody in the last year. Police are pictured detaining a protester during the Extinction Rebellion demonstration in Downing Street, central London,in October

Between September 30 and October 17, a total of £4,651 was spent on vegan meals for activists in custody, according to Freedom of Information requests obtained by MailOnline. Pictured: Police arrest an Extinction Rebellion activist near the gates of Downing Street in central London on October 8

How much per month did Met police spend on ordering vegan food for Extinction Rebellion protesters in custody in the last year? Period Total amount spent December 26 2018 - January 2 2019 £295.68

January 28 2019 - February 9 2019 £215.04 March 4 2019 - March 11 2019 £775.68

April 12 2019 - April 26 2019 £3,228.00 June 11 2019 - June 18 2019 £791.04 July 8 - July 19 2019 £991.20 August 16 2019 - August 23 2019 £1,002.96 September 5 2019 - September 19 2019 £1,779.36 September 30 2019 - October 17 2019 £4,651.09 TOTAL £13,730.05

During the demonstrations, many members of the group, also known as XR, got themselves deliberately arrested to bring attention to what the group termed a climate and ecological emergency. Pictured: A police officer arrests an Extinction Rebellion member in Fleet Street, central London

This period coincides with Extinction Rebellion’s ten-day autumn uprising during which 1,832 people were arrested and more than 150 were charged for offences including criminal damage and obstruction of a highway.

Inspector Brian Smith of Brixton station revealed the force had ordered in extra vegan portions for the October protests after activists moaned about a lack of meat-free options in April.

XR's tactics were to cause 'maximum disruption' and to overwhelm the capacity in police custody, including by refusing bail after being arrested.

One of the group's stated aims was to 'take police resources to breaking point'.

Between April 12 and April 26, police spent £3,228 on vegan meals for activists.

Officers carry an Extinction Rebellion member away from the Women of World War Two memorial in Whitehall, central London

Extinction Rebellion (pictured during protests in London) have won a High Court battle after its members were banned from demonstrating in the capital

In the group’s April protests activists glued themselves to DLR trains and broke windows at Shell’s London headquarters.

What is a Section 14 order? Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986 is legislation by which a senior officer can impose conditions on a public assembly. But the power only applies where it is believed that serious public disorder, serious damage to property or serious disruption to life of the community may result. It can also apply if police believe the organisers of that assembly will intimidate or compel others to do unlawful acts. Under Section 14, a senior officer can specify the location, duration and number of participants of an assembly. Advertisement

More than 1,100 people were arrested.

The group’s leader Roger Hallam branded the April protest - where activists stopped traffic at Oxford Circus, Waterloo Bridge and Marble Arch - the largest show of civil disobedience in modern British history.

The force spent £16 million policing XR protest action in April and £24 million on the October demonstrations.

In comparison, the annual budget for the Violent Crime Taskforce is £15 million.

Between July 8 and July 19, a total of £991.20 was spent on vegan meals alone and this rose to £1,002.96 between August 16 and August 23.

During the October protests, thousands of front line officers were moved away from their normal duties and deployed in central London during the two-week period, with the average length of the 21,000 shifts covered being 12.5 hours.

The demonstrations between October 5 and 16 saw 7,929 Met officers deployed, plus another 1,000 sent from 35 outside forces under the mutual aid system.

In November, the High Court ruled that Met Police’s ban on the group’s London-wide protest in autumn was unlawful, opening the floodgates for millions of pounds-worth of compensation claims.

Between April 12 and April 26, police spent £3,228 on vegan meals for activists. Pictured: Actress Emma Thompson attended the demonstrations in April

In the group’s April protests activists glued themselves to DLR trains and broke windows at Shell’s London headquarters. More than 1,100 people were arrested. Pictured: A climate change activist is arrested by police officers at Oxford Circus in April

Extinction Rebellion argued that the ban was an unprecedented and unlawful curtailment of the right to protest.

Lord Justice Dingemans and Mr Justice Chamberlain said the Met had no power to impose the ban because the Act does not cover 'separate assemblies'.

Law firm Bindmans, which represented XR, said the Met now faces claims for false imprisonment from 'potentially hundreds' of protesters who were arrested after the ban was imposed.

Activists are being arrested during Extinction Rebellion climate change protests earlier this year