Greenpeace target Edinburgh petrol stations

Greenpeace have closed a number of Shell petrol stations in Edinburgh as part of a day of action to highlight the company’s policy of drilling for oil in the Arctic.

Fourteen garages throughout the city have been targeted along with 86 in London.

At 6.45am, activists from Edinburgh Greenpeace visited the Shell garage in Dalry Road and disconnected the petrol supply to the pumps. Two activists climbed onto the roof and pitched a tent before unfurling two banners. One reads ‘Save the Arctic’ while the other shows various Arctic wildlife.

In response, three  police cars and a van containing an inspector and eight officers, attended the scene, but so far no attempt has been made to forcibly remove the protestors.

Climate Campaigner Richard George from Greenpeace London Headquarters told The Edinburgh Reporter:- “Greenpeace has declared a day of action against Shell, targeting one hundred petrol stations in London and Edinburgh, in protest against them drilling for oil in the Arctic. This is not like drilling for oil in the North Sea. The Arctic is deeper, colder and more hazardous with the risks of an oil spill far greater and the impact more severe. There would be no way to clean up any oil spill there.

“This is part of a campaign, and we have been focussing on Shell in particular. Already this year Greenpeace have boarded drilling ships from New Zealand and Scandinavia.

“Although I am from the London office, most of the people involoved in today’s action are from Edinburgh. As well as the Dalry Road garage, we have people out and about in Edinburgh on bikes and low emission cars visiting other garages.”

Staff in the garage were unavailable for comment.

Greenpeace have a livestream video about today’s events which you can access here