Animal Rebellion activists have vandalised the Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace on Thursday, police confirmed.

       The animal and climate justice group have dyed the fountains in front of the palace "blood red to symbolise the royal family's crimes against animals and our planet", according to a statement posted to their Twitter account.

       The memorial is a monument to Queen Victoria, located at the end of The Mall in London, that sits directly in front of the royal family's residence.

       The Metropolitan Police said: "A number of activists have vandalised the Victoria Memorial water feature outside Buckingham Palace.

       "We are on scene and arrests have been made. The suspects are being taken to custody."

       Animal Rebellion, a branch of Extinction Rebellion (XR) are known to use civil disobedience methods with the aim of inciting government action.

       It comes after XR protesters blocked a major road in Westminster on Thursday afternoon, sitting on Victoria Street outside the Department of Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy.

       It is the latest in the environmental group's attempt to disrupt the city during two weeks of planned demonstrations aimed at drawing attention to the climate crisis.

       The group left behind 120 tons of rubbish when they last took over central London.