Protest - scaling the Shard

[Anne]

Greenpeace activists are scaling the Shard (tallest building in London) today in protest against Arctic drilling. (The Independent)

Live link here (the only one I could find just now.)

[Anne]

Sorry, this is in the wrong section - should be in Other. Protest isn't a policy or a solution, but perhaps it might encourage some better policies.

[Jim Hunt]

Six women were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass after their 16-hour ascent on Thursday in protest against Arctic oil drilling.

At the skyscraper's summit two of them unfurled a blue flag with Save the Arctic written on it. The Shard is 1,016ft high (310m) and has 87 storeys.

The woman were bailed to return to a police station on 15 August.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23283323

[Artful Dodger]

Sorry, this is in the wrong section - should be in Other. Protest isn't a policy or a solution, but perhaps it might encourage some better policies.

Hi Anne,

Protest isn't a Government policy. Neither is Koch Industries support for tarsands expansion. Nonetheless, both can have significant impact on the future trajectory of Earth's climate. 

I think this topic is fine right here. Thanks for posting.

[dorlomin]

Made a lot of headlines and briefly broke through the fog of adverts and noise.

Greenpeace had a great Arctic themed field on at the Glastonbury Festival.

Its their big push here in the UK this year.

[Anne]

"It's been interesting that a lot of the focus has been on us, rather than why we did it. I'm happy that the news story is quite tight, the fact that Shell is in the shadow of the Shard. But it all goes back to this idea, for me especially, of what's happening in the Arctic. When you hear about things like that you do feel like you just want to rush there in person and stop it."
- Victoria Henry talks about the stunt in The Guardian.

[dorlomin]

"It's been interesting that a lot of the focus has been on us, rather than why we did it. I'm happy that the news story is quite tight, the fact that Shell is in the shadow of the Shard. But it all goes back to this idea, for me especially, of what's happening in the Arctic. When you hear about things like that you do feel like you just want to rush there in person and stop it."
- Victoria Henry talks about the stunt in The Guardian.

Lots of positive comments on the Guardian.

Seemed a pretty popular action so far as that kind of thing goes. There will always be a lot (even majority) of negativity around any kind of direct action. But the GP have done a good job of getting back a bit of momentum after the past couple of years.

[Jim Hunt]

1 skyscraper. 6 women. No permission. The video:

[Anne]

Thanks, Jim! I wish they'd given a bit more about the technical issues - I get fed up with people asking what's so clever about climbing a big ladder.

[Anne]

Protester charged with aggravated trespass. Inevitable really.

The others have accepted police cautions. I'm guessing she declined a caution in order to secure further publicity from the trial. Brave woman.

ETA: They are all brave women!