A MUM from Stroud has called on the Government to act after being arrested by police on Friday during the Extinction Rebellion protests in London.

Joanna Robins was locked onto a tube along with another woman in the road by Trafalgar Square where she had a sign with the message ‘Stop Ecocide’.

The mum of two, who took a week off work unpaid to join the protests in the capital, claims she is not an activist but joined the protests because of the seriousness of the climate emergency.

“I’m just finding myself compelled to act knowing what I know about the climate and ecological emergency and just how serious and urgent an issue it is,” she said.

“I am way out of my comfort zone, yet in great company with folks of all ages and from all walks of life.

“There was a man in his 70s who glued onto our tube and a 76-year-old woman from Cheltenham who sat with us and was arrested, neither of whom had been to a protest before.

“I’m deeply sad it has come to this. It felt like such a charade for us and the police when the logical thing would be to listen to the scientists and for the government to take action.”

Posting on Facebook, Joanna's husband Jamie wrote: 

"We shouldn’t have to be doing this, but we will continue to do so until the Government listen and act on our demands to tell the truth and get on with what needs to happen to avoid mass planetary chaos.

"We love you brave Joanna Robins and me and your two beautiful girls are so proud of you."