Just Stop Oil activists hit the British capital on Monday morning, spraying four buildings with orange paint - the Bank of England in the City, News Corp headquarters at London Bridge, and the MI5 and Home Office buildings on Marsham Street.
According to the group, the intent was to oppose government, security, finance, and media - "four pillars" that "support and maintain the power of the fossil fuel economy."
While the police issued a statement urging citizens no to engage in altercations with the protesters, some Londoners felt the need to intervene anyway.
A short video from Marsham Street shows a man trying to stop an activist from dousing the MI5 building. In the clip, two people can be seen jostling over a paint-laden fire extinguisher, with the activist saying "I don't want to do this" and claiming that the group "simply" demands that "no new fossil fuel licenses" be issued.
According to the Metropolitan Police, officers responded quickly to all incidents and a "number of people have now been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage".