Community | August 23, 2010 | 6 comments

Climate Camp Trojan Pig makes a mess at Cairn Energy

source: http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

YouandIfilms
Climate Camp activists cause ‘oil’ spill outside Cairn Energy

An ‘oil’ spill was caused outside the offices of Cairn Energy in central Edinburgh this morning. Activists targeted the Scottish energy company because it used public money from RBS to help it start drilling for oil off the coast of Greenland last month.

The activists who met at the Climate Camp carried a two metre long pig(gy bank) branded with the RBS logo filled with 60 litres of an oil like substance towards Cairn Energy’s offices. Triggered by a golden coin representing the public money used to bail out the bank, the RBS ‘piggy bank’ unleashed its contents, believed to be molasses, covering the entrances and the street. Activists also sprayed ‘oil’ on the outside of the building with fire extinguishers.

It was revealed yesterday that Cairn Energy received ￡117 million of loans and equity last year from RBS, almost half of which directly enabled the drilling off the Greenland coast to start. This drilling is particularly controversial because (a spill in the area would be almost impossible to clean up due to the thick ice) the area hasn’t been exploited for oil before and has only been made possible as climate change has caused icebergs in this region to melt. The BP Deep Water oil spill has clearly shown the dangers of offshore drilling and it’s argued that Cairn don’t have the experience to deal with accidents in the previously pristine and extremely environmentally sensitive Arctic.

Alex Wilson, one of the activists who undertook the action said:
“RBS doesn’t just sponsor the Edinburgh Fringe, it sponsors the oil companies who destroy the lives of hundreds of millions of people around the world through oil spills, war, drought and floods.

“Risky drilling in the Arctic by Cairn Energy has only been made possible by financial involvement by RBS. This is an outrageous use of over a hundred million pounds of public money given the economic and climate crises that we are facing.”

The activists say that this is the start of a new focus on taking direct action against the oil industry. A mass day of action dubbed ‘The Crude Awakening’ is already being planned and is set to take place in October in London.

Rachel Stone said:
“We have got the oil industry in our sights. We will be targeting the pumps, airports and factories that oil flows through. We will be taking direct action to switch off oil because it is at the heart of the climate crisis that we are all facing.”

According to Bloomberg figures released yesterday Cairn Energy received ￡117 million in equity and loans.

For more information on the Camp for Climate Action see http://www.climatecamp.org.uk

For more information about the Crude Awakening – day of action in October go to http://www.crudeawakening.org.uk
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6 comments // Climate Camp Trojan Pig makes a mess at Cairn Energy // Video

  • YouandIfilms
    • +1
      YouandIfilms  
    • Image

    • Look likes the news quote you reported "....but much more dangerous, slicks were also poured onto the main A720 and A8 roads." was actually a 'Phantom' oil slick and a smear against Climate Camp, No wonder Climate Camp does not trust the media when the police dupe reporters into regurgitating unfounded rumours

      http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/cif-green/2010/aug/27/oil-slick-climate-ca...

      Unfortunately, coverage of the day was dominated by a hallmark Climate Camp smear story splashed across the media. According to a police press release put out at noon: "a substance similar to diesel or vegetable oil" spilled onto two major roads in Edinburgh." We understand that some journalists had been told about it by the police earlier.

      Worryingly, almost every media organisation, from the Scotsman to the Financial Times, re-reported this despite no evidence of any kind having been presented to link this oil spill - if it happened - to the camp: no pictures of the spill; no traffic reports showing disruption; no bystanders or drivers complaining; no banner; no word from any climate activist on any website saying they did it. It appears to have been a phantom oil spill.

    • 1 year ago
  • IceKat
    • 0
      IceKat  

    • The cost of policing protests at the Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters in Edinburgh should be recovered from the protesters, a city councillor has said.

      "I don't see why the people of Edinburgh and the wider Lothian and Borders should have to have their policing service reduced in future years because some protesters come here and choose to take illegal action”

      Iain Whyte Edinburgh City Council

      http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-11067718

    • 1 year ago
  • RossSlater
    • 0
      RossSlater  

    • Thanks to this bunch of lunatic hippy twatbags, climate change is once again not taken seriously. I mean is it too much to ask that you comb your hair before going on TV and try and look like you are not a jakey tramp? The only way to get governments and big organisations to change is to show them how fucked up the planet will be in 50 years time, these people are all about money and will change. Using a superglue wanking scene in american pie as an inspiration for demonstration will do nothing if not the opposite.

    • 1 year ago
  • IceKat
    • 0
      IceKat  
    • Image

    • From The Telegraph.

      The term “useful idiots”, most commonly attributed to Lenin to describe Soviet sympathisers in the West, has never been more appropriate this morning than in describing those who give public support to the hooligans causing criminal damage in Edinburgh in the cause, they claim, of averting climate change.

      Yesterday, and in no particular order, saw some nutters – although they prefer the term "activists" - superglue themselves to the car park at Royal Bank of Scotland offices, whilst others climbed onto the roof of Forth Energy’s HQ, and two chained themselves to the front of the building. Windows had been previously smashed at RBS’s head office at Gogarburn, which has seen a Climate Camp – so-called – installed outside for several days now.

      An "oil slick", using molasses, was created outside Cairn Energy’s office in Lothian Road and similar, but much more dangerous, slicks were also poured onto the main A720 and A8 roads. And a Clydesdale Bank branch was spray-painted.

      Whilst superglue was also used to stick protestors together on a bridge over the A8 , at the Port of Leith and at other RBS premises near the Gyle Shopping Centre, the mystery to me was why the police bothered to remove them. The nights are fair drawing in and I’m sure our committed friends would have been happy to stick it out as the winds of autumn arrive.

      http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/columnists/alancochrane/7960309/Supporters-of...
      ________________________
      Isn't it time these idiots got off their backsides and did a decent day's work instead of causing criminal damage and making a fool of themselves?

    • 1 year ago
  • IceKat
    • 0
      IceKat  

    • "...almost half of which directly enabled the drilling off the Greenland coast to start. This drilling is particularly controversial because (a spill in the area would be almost impossible to clean up due to the thick ice)..."

      Oh, and I thought all the ice was supposed to be melting - according to the greenies it is! (pssst... it's not)

    • 1 year ago
  • smurph25
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