FOUR GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS IN COURT OVER CLIMATE PROTEST
18 August 1997
Four Greenpeace activists, who took part in the week-long occupation of the oil drilling platform in BP's Foinaven field to highlight the need to phase out fossil fuels to protect the climate, were each fined ú200 in court in Aberdeen, Scotland today (18 August). They pleaded guilty to breach of the peace charges.
The court hearing followed a night in custody and a long journey under police guard after the four's arrest aboard the Stena Dee oil drilling platform run by BP. Greenpeace has been actively campaigning against new oil exploration in the Atlantic Frontier since May this year, using its ship, MV Greenpeace.
Grampian police boarded the Stena Dee yesterday (17 August) and arrested three British Greenpeace campaigners, two men and one woman, as well as one German woman activist.
Two of the activists have been occupying a bright yellow solar survival capsule strapped to the leg of the large oil rig by Greenpeace over a week ago. The other pair were climbers who helped escalate the action only three days ago by scaling anchor chains to establish another base camp 15 metres up in the eaves of the floating rig.
The arrests came as Greenpeace became concerned about the safety of its protestors. Worsening weather and damaged inflatables was making the campaign difficult to sustain.
"We were 100 per cent enthusiastic about doing our bit to help save the climate," said Frank, one of the four activists released today.
"Politicians and oil companies need to start listening before it's too late. Money invested now in solar power will make it affordable and help us stop burning fossil fuels that damage the climate."
In a statement released as the occupation ended Greenpeace UK's Deputy Executive Director, Chris Rose, confirmed that it intended to keep up the pressure on oil companies to start investing heavily in solar power and building solar factories in readiness for a phase out of fossil fuels. The UK government is also under attack for still failing to switch subsidies from fossil fuels to solar power. Already a Greenpeace Arctic campaign against new oil exploration is under way in Alaska targeting the Arco oil rig. In Hamburg, too, activists have been protesting outside BP's German headquarters.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Greenpeace Press Office on +44 (0)171-865 8255/6/7/8