Six Women Scale The Shard in Greenpeace Protest Against Oil and Gas Drilling in the Arctic

Simon Tomlinson
Daily Mail
July 10, 2013

A group of six Greenpeace activists have begun scaling Britain’s tallest building in protest at drilling in the Arctic.

The women, who evaded security guards at the 72-storey Shard in central London early this morning, said their action was intended to put Shell and other oil companies in the spotlight.

Greenpeace said the protesters were ‘artists and activists’, adding: ‘If the six women reach the top – 310m above the pavement (1,017ft) – they will attempt to hang a huge work of art that captures the beauty of the Arctic.

Shard showdown: Greenpeace activists scale Britain's tallest building in protest at drilling in the Arctic
Shard showdown: Greenpeace activists scale Britain’s tallest building in protest at drilling in the Arctic

 

Head for heights: Liesbeth Debbens from the Netherlands gives the thumbs-up as he makes her way up the skyscraper for Greenpeace's Save the Arctic campaign
Head for heights: Liesbeth Debbens from the Netherlands gives the thumbs-up as he makes her way up the skyscraper for Greenpeace’s Save the Arctic campaign
Statement of intent: A policeman and emergency services watch as six women activists climb The Shard
Statement of intent: A policeman and emergency services watch as six women activists climb The Shard

‘They chose to climb the Shard because it towers over Shell’s three London offices, including the oil giant’s global headquarters on the Southbank of the Thames.

‘Shell is leading the oil companies’ drive into the Arctic, investing billions in its Alaskan and Russian drilling programmes.

‘A worldwide movement of millions has sprung up to stop them, but Shell is refusing to abandon its plans.’

The group also posted a picture of the women climbers posing together before the climb.

They were named as Sabine Huyghe from Belgium, Sandra Lamborn from Sweden, Canadian Victoria Henry, Ali Garrigan from the UK, Wiola Smul from Poland and Liesbeth Debbens from the Netherlands.

The lead climbers are ‘free-climbing’ (scaling the building without assistance) but are fixing safety ropes as they progress, the group said.

Metropolitan Police are at the site, a spokesman said.

Read More