Police have cleared climate activists from part of the Oxford Circus demonstration as the Extinction Rebellion protests entered their fifth day.

London’s busiest shopping street remained blocked despite although police manage to move the pink boat which had been used to block the junction with Regent Street.

The vessel was attached to a lorry and taken away up Regent Street followed by a number of jogging uniformed officers. Regent Street is still cordoned off by officers.

Dame Emma Thompson, the Oscar-winning British actor, addressed crowds on Good Friday as the campaign group declared a separate protest at Heathrow airport was over.

About 20 activists, most of them under 17, had staged a brief demonstration on roads near the airport.

Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Show all 46 1 /46 Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Canary Wharf A protester gives a thumbs up as he stalls a DLR train at Canary Wharf station in London Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London City of London Protesters hold up traffic on Upper Thames Street in the City of London Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Canary Wharf Protesters hold a banner as they hold up a DLR train at Canary Wharf station in London Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Officers remove plants that were placed in the occupation of Waterloo Bridge PA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Police officers arrive at Oxford Circus as they prepare to remove protesters during the fifth day of a coordinated protest by the Extinction Rebellion group, April 19 Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge An activist waters the plants at the occupation on Waterloo Bridge PA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Heathrow airport Undeterred by over 400 arrests, climate change activists continued their demonstration into a fifth day in London with a small protest at the country's main Heathrow Airport, along with the ongoing protest camps at other iconic locations around the British capital Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Protesters with the words 'glued on' written on their hands hold hands as police officers arrive at Oxford Circus Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Officers circle the lorry that serves as the central stage to the Waterloo Bridge occupation, repeating their tactic from a earlier at the Oxford Circus occupation Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Oxford Circus reopens after being closed for days due to occupation AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Officers prepare to move in on the occupation of Waterloo Bridge PA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Activists relax on a sofa at the occupation on Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus British actress Emma Thompson talks to members of the media from atop the pink boat after police officers surrounded the boat being used as a stage as climate change activists occupy the road junction at Oxford Circus in central London during the fifth day of environmental protesst by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge An Extinction Rebellion demonstrator is carried away by police on Waterloo Bridge PA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Activists on Waterloo Bridge have made a garden for their occupation site, April 20 Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Demonstrators began blocking off a bridge and major central road junctions on April 15 at the start of a civil disobedience campaign calling for governments to declare an ecological emergency over climate change, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2025, halt biodiversity loss and be led by new "citizens' assemblies on climate and ecological justice" Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Emma Thompson joins the Extinction Rebellion protest at Oxford Circus. Thompson spoke from the pink boat at the centre of the occupation AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Heathrow airport Extinction Rebellion protesters sit outside Heathrow Airport on April 19 Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Heathrow airport Climate protestors hold a demo outside Heathrow Airport Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Police officers detain a climate change activist at Waterloo Bridge Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Marble Arch Protesters prepare for another day at Marble Arch as the Extinction Rebellion protests enter their fifth day Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus British actress Emma Thompson gives an address from the stage atop the pink boat AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Actress Emma Thompson takes a photo with a Extinction Rebellion demonstrator PA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Climate change activists blockade Oxford Circus on the third day of an environmental protest by the Extinction Rebellion group AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Climate change activists stand atop a bus shelter as they take part in a blockade of Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Canary Wharf Police is seen as climate change activists demonstrate during the Extinction Rebellion protest, at Canary Wharf DLR station in London Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Police speak to climate change activists blockading Waterloo bridge AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge epa07511673 A demonstrator gestures the hand heart as protesters from the Extinction Rebellion campaign group block Waterloo Bridge in central London, Britain, 17 April 2019. The Extinction Rebellion are holding a number of protests across London to draw attention to climate change. EPA/NEIL HALL NEIL HALL EPA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Climate change activists, one (right) with her hand glued to the underside of a truck parked across Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Environmental campaigners protest in the centre of Oxford Circus Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Jeremy Corbyn's Home Climate change activists from Extinction Rebellion protest sit after glueing themselves to the front fence of Britain's opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn's house Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Marble Arch Dozens of tents have been pitched at Marble Arch in a large scale occupation Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Canary Wharf station Police remove climate activists who glued themselves on top of a train at Canary Wharf station EPA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Police forces carry a protester AP Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Canary Wharf station A climate change protestor who glued his hand to a window halts a DLR train AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Extinction Rebellion demonstrators on Waterloo Bridge, London, after police issued a Section 14 Public Order Act 1986 warning. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday April 17, 2019. See PA story ENVIRONMENT Climate. Photo credit should read: Jonathan Brady/PA Wire Jonathan Brady PA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge epa07512336 Extinction Rebellion climate change demonstrators protest on Waterloo Bridge during climate change protests in London, Britain, 17 April 2019. The Extinction Rebellion are holding a number of protests across London to draw attention to climate change. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge epa07512368 Extinction Rebellion climate change demonstrators protest on Waterloo Bridge during climate change protests in London, Britain, 17 April 2019. Waterloo Bridge remains closed as protests continue. EPA/ANDY RAIN ANDY RAIN EPA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Extinction Rebellion demonstrators in Oxford Circus, London, as more than 200 people have been arrested as police deal with ongoing climate change protests. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday April 17, 2019. See PA story ENVIRONMENT Climate. Photo credit should read: Kirsty O'Connor/PA Wire Kirsty O'Connor PA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 17: An Environmental campaigner is carried by police officers at Oxford Circus during the third day of a coordinated protest by the Extinction Rebellion group on April 17, 2019 in London, England. More than 100 arrests have been made, with demonstrations blocking a number of locations across the capital. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) Leon Neal Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Pedestrians and a cyclist pass graffiti drawn by protestors who blocked Waterloo Bridge AP Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Climate change protestors practice yoga on Waterloo Bridge AFP/Getty Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge A climate change activist gestures while being detained by police officers Reuters Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Protestors sit on the road AP Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Waterloo Bridge Extinction Rebellion demonstrators on Waterloo Bridge, London, as more than 200 people have been arrested as police deal with ongoing climate change protests. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Picture date: Wednesday April 17, 2019. See PA story ENVIRONMENT Climate. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire Yui Mok PA Extinction Rebellion: Climate change protests cause chaos in London Oxford Circus Police forces carry a protestor to arrest him at Oxford Circus in London, Wednesday, April 17, 2019. The group Extinction Rebellion is calling for a week of civil disobedience against what it says is the failure to tackle the causes of climate change. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) Frank Augstein AP

Standing close to a tunnel that leads to terminals two and three, protesters unfurled a black banner with the message: “Are we the last generation?”

One of the protesters, 14-year-old Samar from London, told The Independent: “We want to spread a message about what needs to be done by the people in power, and we’re making our voices heard.”

Several police officers watched over the group before an Extinction Rebellion spokesperson announced around midday there were no further plans to cause disruption at the airport.

All roads remained open during the demonstration, which is part of a two-week campaign that began in central London on Monday.

The choice of Heathrow on a bank holiday was surprising, given the airport is significantly quieter on Good Friday than on the average Friday, due to a sharp reduction business travel. Participants were told: “This will be standard swarming process. If there are lots of us, there will be a low risk of arrest.”

But “those interested in arrestable roles as part of this action” were invited to apply separately by email for selection.

A statement was released on behalf of Heathrow airport, which read: “We are working with the authorities to address any threat of protest that could disrupt the airport.

“While we respect the right to peaceful protest and agree with the need to act on climate change, we don’t agree that passengers should have their well-earned Easter break holiday plans with family and friends disrupted.”

Police surround environmental protesters near Heathrow yesterday (AP)

At the Oxford Circus site, Dame Emma said: “We are here in this little island of sanity and it makes me so happy to be able to join you all and to add my voice to the young people here who have inspired a whole new movement.

“We have seriously failed them and our planet is in serious trouble, we have much, much less time than we thought. I have seen the evidence for myself and I really care about my children and grandchildren enough to want to be here today to stand with the next generation.”

The Love Actually actor also challenged critics who said demonstrators are using the protests to have fun. “If you can’t have fun whilst saving the planet, what’s the point?” she asked.

“Protest should always have a sense of joy in it because what we are protesting about is saving this extraordinary home of ours, and also celebrating the passion and inspiring energy of this young generation.”

Exctinction Rebellion: Emma Thompson urges pubic to join climate protesters

Shortly after Dame Emma’s address, dozens of police officers encircled the boat and told bystanders there was an ordinance to clear the area.

Officers closed off the whole junction of Oxford Street and Regent Street, letting people out but not in.

Dame Emma left the protest before specialist officers arrived to remove people from the frame of the boat.

A handful of activists were carried or led away by officers, while people who tried to break into the cordon were pushed back.

Waterloo Bridge has now been blocked by demonstrators for five days despite the Metropolitan Police making more than 570 arrests.

Ten people had been charged by the force by Thursday night and three others arrested by British Transport Police were remanded in custody after they appeared in court accused of obstructing trains at Canary Wharf.

The Met said: “The protesters are using tactics of lying on the ground when approached. This means that it takes at least four officers to remove one person to ensure their safety, which is resource intensive.”

Routes are also blocked around Parliament Square and Marble Arch, and home secretary Sajid Javid has urged police to use the “full force of the law”.

“I totally condemn any protesters who are stepping outside the boundaries of the law,” Mr Javid said.

“They have no right to cause misery for the millions of people who are trying to lead their daily lives.”

Extinction Rebellion: Youth protesters at Heathrow read Riot Act by surrounding police

Ken Marsh, chair of the Metropolitan Police Federation, told BBC Breakfast the protests were “very, very difficult” to handle and could cost “millions”.

He said: “The sufferers will be the communities in the local boroughs where officers are being taken from the community areas, and the funding and money has to be found to deal with what we are doing.”

Extinction Rebellion has pledged to continue causing disruption until its demands are met. They want the government to declare a climate emergency and take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2025.