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Police end Greenpeace blockade of BP HQ
LONDON, May 21, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – London police said Monday they had
detained all 10 Greenpeace activists who had blocked the entrances to BP’s
global headquarters to convince the British energy giant to halt oil and gas
exploration.
The environmental organisation encased activists in five heavy containers
that were manoeuvred into place during the night.
Abseilers also set about installing a banner spelling out “climate
emergency” on the building’s windows.
The protest came ahead of BP’s annual general meeting in Aberdeen,
Scotland, on Tuesday.
Greenpeace wants BP to switch to purely renewable energy or close its
operations.
“BP is fuelling a climate emergency that threatens millions of lives and
the future of the living world,” said container occupant Paul Morozzo.
“We must stop searching for new oil and gas if we want a liveable planet.
BP must clean up or clear out.”
Six abseilers could be seen on the outside of the building in plush St.
James’s Square on Monday afternoon, while a couple of activists sat on top of
two containers outside the the main doors.
The containers were decorated with a brick effect covering and images from
photographer Gideon Mendel’s “Drowning World” project. The boxes, with two
activists in each, had food, drink, toilets, lights, books and games inside.
– ‘No future in oil’ –
“We welcome discussion, debate, even peaceful protest on the important
matter of how we must all work together to address the climate challenge,” a
BP spokeswoman told AFP.
“But impeding safe entry and exit from an office building in this way is
dangerous and clearly a matter for the police to resolve as swiftly as
possible.”
London’s Metropolitan Police, who initially made four arrests, said all 10
protesters had been detained by late Monday.
“There are no protestors left at the scene although police maintain a
presence at the location,” the police said in a statement.
The stunt came a month after the Extinction Rebellion climate protests
brought parts of central London to a halt.
“We’re seeing it as part of the same wave of campaigning and activism right
now because people are very concerned about the climate emergency,”
Greenpeace campaigner Morten Thaysen told AFP at the police cordon.
“There isn’t a future in oil. The company has two choices: to go 100
percent renewable or to start winding down the business. All the oil
companies need to go in this direction,” Thaysen said.
“We don’t have the luxury to wait around for them to make these decisions
by themselves. The transition needs to start now.”
BSS/AFP/GMR/1010 hrs