Six people have been arrested on Westminster Bridge after blocking the route as part of an Animal Rebellion protest. 

The key London route was blocked on Tuesday morning, February 14, at around 10am after protesters staged a candlelit dinner on the road. 

The dinner saw two protesters dress up, with one wearing a mask of Prime Minster Rishi Sunak. 

Metropolitan Police officers attended the scene, seeing five arrested for obstruction of the road and a sixth arrested for actual bodily harm after a protester was assaulted. 

All were taken to a West London police station whilst officers at the scene were able to remove protesters allowing traffic to move freely. 

Six arrested after protesters block Westminster Bridge

The group behind the protest, Animal Rebellion shared that they held the action in a bid to stop animal farming and fishing, asking instead to invest in a plant-based food system. 

One member of the group, Joshua from Derbyshire said: "This Valentine’s Day we’re calling on the Government to get out of its toxic relationship with animal farming and fishing and, instead, show commitment to tackling the climate and ecological emergencies with a plant-based food system.

"Rishi Sunak could lead the way towards a world where humans and nonhumans alike are free from the worst impacts of climate breakdown, in a nation of animal lovers it’s the only sensible choice.”

Following the incident, the Met released a statement, sharing: "The Met Police were rapidly on scene at Westminster Bridge this morning. At 10:12hrs five protesters placed themselves on the highway, blocking traffic over the bridge in the direction of St Thomas Hospital.

"Officers removed the protesters from the highway to allow traffic to move freely over the bridge. Five protesters were arrested for obstruction of the highway.

"A sixth person was arrested for actual bodily harm after assaulting a protester. All six were taken to a West London police station. The road was open as of 11:12hrs."