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Climate Activists Hit Big Business and Banks

September 01, 2009

Today over 300 activists from the Climate Camp took action against the root causes of climate change.


20 activists blockaded the headquarters of RBS in the City of London from 8.15am [1]. Seven activists glued themselves to each other  in the trading floor inside the offices, and were removed by the police at 1.30pm. One has been arrested. 70 protesters arrived at 10am and rushed a second entrance, forcing RBS to close the building. As of 4pm, the activists were showing no signs of leaving.


7 naked protesters demonstrated at the offices of Edelman PR, exposing the naked truth behind E.ON’s greenwash campaign around new coal-fired power stations in the UK. [2] The superglued protesters were removed at 1pm.


At 11am activists from Alberta, Canada, accompanied by 300 participants from the climate camp, marched from Trafalagar square to the National Portrait Gallery, the Canadian embassy, and the head offices of BP and Shell. [3] Activists climbed onto the balcony of the Shell building in Waterloo and dislodged the ‘S’ from the main sign to reveal the word ‘Hell’.


Maddie Alinska said: “This shows that people realise that it is becoming necessary to take action because bankers, corporations and politicians are unwilling and unable to meet the greatest challenge humanity has ever faced. We are seeing first hand how everybody has the right and responsibility to take action on climate change.”


Many of the people who took part in the actions were first time protesters who took part in Direct Action training at the Camp for Climate Action. [4]


Tracy Singh commented: “It’s the first time I’ve taken to the streets like this. Climate Camp has given me the skills and the confidence to get involved. I’ve gotten so tired of waiting for governments and businesses to do something – it’s about time we took matters into our own hands.”

 

Notes for Editors

  1. RBS is 70% owned by the UK government, but is nonetheless continuing to invest in carbon-intensive industries, including millions in E.ON since being nationalised.
  2. Edelman PR have been handling E.ON’s account since 2008. E.ON own both Kingsnorth power station in Kent, and the Ratcliffe-on-Soar plant in Nottinghamshire, the 3rd biggest  coal station in the UK.
  3. Shell are heavily committed to the mining of Tar Sands in Canada, which is causing the death and disruption of Alberta’s indigenous communities. BP have taken a significant stake in the operations since 2007. The National Portrait Gallery is sponsored by BP.
  4. The Camp for Climate Action has targeted Drax (2006), Heathrow (2007), Kingsnorth (2008) and was held in  London this year August 28th – September 2nd.