Extinction Rebellion have blocked the gates of a large oil refinery in Scotland with boats in a protest against pollution.
Climate activists claim Ineos is the country’s biggest polluter and is staging the blockade at Grangemouth as part of a programme of action.
Small groups of no more than six people have locked themselves together at the gates and aim to remain there all day.
Two boats are being used to block the entrances to the refinery and the headquarters.
Extinction Rebellion claims Ineos is the country’s biggest polluter and is staging the blockade at Grangemouth as part of a programme of action
Small groups of no more than six people have locked themselves together at the gates and aim to remain there all day
Annie Lane, 26, a campaigner from Glasgow, said: ‘Ineos Grangemouth is Scotland’s largest climate polluter. It is Scotland’s only crude oil refinery.
‘It also stores fracked gas from the States. Given the widely assumed ”ban” on fracking in Scotland, for fracked gas which harms communities worldwide to still be processed here is outrageously hypocritical.
‘We are here to expose the climate destruction that Ineos is causing. We are running out of time, with the climate crisis affecting so many in the global south already.’
Two boats are being used to block the entrances to the refinery and the headquarters (pictured)
Campaigners held up banners stating ‘No Future in Fossil Fuels’ and ‘Climate Justice = Social Justice’
Ineos plants at Grangemouth each emitted nearly half a million tonnes of carbon dioxide into the air in 2016, according to the Herald.
Campaigners held up banners stating ‘No Future in Fossil Fuels’ and ‘Climate Justice = Social Justice’ and strapped them over their boats.
The vessels have come to be a feature of XR protests, with a bright pink one boarded by actress Emma Thompson in Oxford Street, London, last year.
Extinction Rebellion Scotland said Covid-19 safety precautions are being taken, including face masks, social distancing and use of hand sanitiser, while participating activists are using a track and trace app.
A demonstration was also expected to take place outside the Ineos headquarters in London on Friday morning.
XR said Covid-19 safety precautions are being taken, including face masks, social distancing and use of hand sanitiser, while participating activists are using a track and trace app
Meg Peyton Jones, from Edinburgh, said: ‘We’re 10 years on from Scotland’s first Climate Act, and yet plants such as Grangemouth are still being expanded.
‘We cannot trust big oil corporations to prioritise the planet and the long-term wellbeing of either their workers or the general population above squeezing every last drop of oil and gas out of the North Sea, no matter how much they try to distract us with greenwash about renewables.’
Police said they are aware of the situation. Ineos has been asked for comment.
It comes a day after a man wearing an XR hat – dubbed a ‘rebel with many causes’ – scaled scaffolding near Big Ben in London with a banner with full of various causes.
The man appeared to be urging the Government to give northern England an extra £2billion in funding before putting areas into the tier three ‘very high’ alert level.
A protester dressed in a Spiderman costume climbs a section of scaffolding in London yesterday morning
The unidentified protester in his 60s made reference to extra support being needed for the likes of Chester, Stoke, Derby, Nottingham, Boston and Skegness.
He also included the names of activist groups including Extinction Rebellion and Black Lives Matter on his banners, which were unfurled around 8am yesterday.
Shortly before 10am, he came down before being arrested on suspicion of criminal trespass under section 128 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005.
The man, who has not been named, is not thought to have gained access to the Big Ben site at any point.
One banner said: ‘No Tier 3 lock-down for Gt N’n Pwrhse unless an xtra £2bn for whole region from Chester, Stoke, Derby, Nott’m, Boston, Skeg’s to Scottish border. If not: Gt N’n rebellion. XR North + unions + BLM UK + LGTBQ + many more.’
Another banner, which he was pictured attaching to the scaffolding today, said: ‘Black and all lives matter so unify peoples of the world, unite and put things right.’