A total of 41 people have been arrested in connection with anti-oil industry protests in Hertfordshire.

The demonstrations were organised by Just Stop Oil - which wants the government to "get out of bed" with the oil industry - at the Buncefield Oil Terminal in Hemel Hempstead.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police has said that officers made a total of 41 arrests in connection with the protest activity.

They were called to the oil depot just before 4.15am on Friday, April 1, when 27 people were arrested.

Officers attended the scene again at around 3.12am on Sunday, April 3, when they arrested 14 others.

Superintendent Sue Jameson is leading the police response.

Superintendent Jameson said: "As always, our priority remains to protect the public we serve.

"Protestors securing themselves to fuel tankers and unlawfully accessing an extremely hazardous site not only puts the protestors themselves at severe risk, but also poses a substantial danger to countless other people – members of the public, site workers who are just trying to do their jobs, not to mention emergency service workers who are having to work in incredibly challenging circumstances to bring these situations to a safe conclusion.

"This now brings us to a total of 41 arrests that have been made in Hertfordshire so far.

"We are working alongside partner organisations, other affected forces and the CPS with the view of bringing charges against those involved."

Herts Advertiser: Just Stop Oil protesters (File picture)Just Stop Oil protesters (File picture) (Image: Just Stop Oil)

Just Stop Oil wants to see oil and gas phased out quickly, and to stop the government from investing in new oil projects.

The group blocked seven oil facilities near London and Birmingham over the weekend.

At the Kingsbury, Midlands and Esso terminals in Birmingham, oil tankers were prevented from leaving the site.

There was also a protest at the Thames Oilport in Essex, where 17 people climbed onto a tanker to prevent it from leaving.

A Just Stop Oil spokesperson said that there were 200 arrests between Friday and Sunday.

They added that there are no plans to stop protesting until the government agrees not to launch new oil exploration projects in the interests of "climate justice".