Greta Thunberg has suggested that climate protesters in London should stand up to police and 'break the rules' after a ban was issued on demonstrations.

The 16-year-old Swedish activist, who went from anonymity to leader of a global movement in a year, addressed Met Police's public order to arrest Extinction Rebellion protesters causing chaos in the capital with their 'Autumn Uprising'.

The Swedish schoolgirl took to Twitter and said 'rules must be broken' when standing up against the climate crisis.

She wrote: 'If standing up against the climate and ecological breakdown and for humanity is against the rules then the rules must be broken. #ExtinctionRebellion.'

Greta Thunberg has suggested that climate protesters in London should stand up to police and 'break the rules' after a blanket ban was put in place for demonstrations

Thunberg made the comments while retweeting an Amnesty UK article which condemned the police ban as 'unlawful' and called for the right to exercise freedom of assembly.

It comes after Extinction Rebellion protesters were dramatically cleared from Trafalgar Square in under an hour on Monday after police banned 'any assembly' within London - as a Green Party MEP was among those arrested.

Today a senior Met officer insisted the ban on XR's 'Autumn Uprising' climate change protests issued on Monday is legal - despite a review having been requested by lawyers - and warned activists they face arrest.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor, who is leading the policing of the demonstrations, said he is 'completely comfortable' with the action the force has taken.

The Swedish schoolgirl took to Twitter and call for the 'rules to be broken' when standing up against the breakdown of the climate

Lawyers for XR were at the High Court on Wednesday to apply for a judicial review of the ban amid claims that the order is not legal and breaches the right to protest.

Hundreds of protesters blocked roads in the City of London over the weekend in an attempt to use Hong-Kong inspired protests to cause maximum disruption to authorities, but the eight-day action was cut almost a week short by 9pm yesterday evening.

Thunberg first rose to prominence in August 2018 when she started skipping school to sit outside the Swedish parliament with her 'School Strike for the Climate' sign, to criticize government inaction on climate change.

In open defiance of Monday's police ban, Extinction Rebellion protestors gathered en masse in Trafalgar Square again today

Students across the world then began emulating her academic disobedience, leading to organized school walkouts and the rise of the 'Fridays for Future' movement, which organized the event in Denver.

Ethiopia's prime minister Abiy Ahmed has today been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize – beating eco-campaigner Greta Thunberg, who was tipped to receive the honour.

Thunberg has already won Amnesty International's top human rights prize and the Swedish Right Livelihood Award, often presented as an alternative Nobel.

She's also earned adoration from fans, some of whom shouted 'we love you, Greta!' as she left the venue following a speech that lasted just under 10 minutes.