One of the environmental protesters who occupied a self-dug tunnel for weeks in Euston, central London, to protest the HS2 project appeared at Croydon Magistrates' Court yesterday (Tuesday, February 17).

Scott Breen from HS2 Rebellion left Croydon Magistrates’ Court earlier today after he was arrested on Sunday evening at Euston Square Gardens.

In a live stream of Breen's departure from the court posted to Facebook, an HS2 Rebellion member said he was "doing well and happy to be out" after weeks spent below ground and was "looking forward to a shower".

The protesters set up a protest camp at Euston Square Gardens in January to "protect trees" and protest the building of the massive high-speed rail project that could cost between £65 £8will 8 billion according to the Department of Transport.

HS2 Rebellion say the project flies in the face of climate science and the need to protect trees in the face of climate breakdown, and point to various "environmental, social and economic damage" they say the infrastructure project is already causing.

On Wednesday (February 17) another protester at the HS2 site, 16-year-old Rory Hooper, the son of veteran climate activist Swampy who is also involved, meanwhile left the tunnels after 22 days below ground.

Your Local Guardian: Rory Hooper, 16, left the tunnel on Wednesday after 22 days below ground. Rory Hooper, 16, left the tunnel on Wednesday after 22 days below ground.

"After almost three weeks underground I am coming up. This means there will be more food for the others so they can resist for longer," he said.

"Dad is staying in the tunnel and will hold out for as long as he can. I am looking forward to seeing mum.

"I have loved digging and being underground and I will continue to protest, HS2 needs to be stopped.

"Young people like me have to take action to stop the ecocide being committed by projects like HS2 because we're in an ecological emergency and our future is at stake. Digging a tunnel may seem extreme but maybe it is the only way," he added.

Backers of HS2 say it will help the UK decarbonize its transport and therefore help the country meet our goals to eliminate carbon emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.

However, protesters and critics say the project is instead exacerbating the climate crisis in a number of ways, pointing to several reports that said its construction and maintenance could in fact increase overall emissions, and that building it will cause wider environmental destruction.