Extinction Rebellion protest: Activists enter Shell HQ and glue themselves to government buildings

From Saphora Smith, our climate correspondent at Shell HQ:

Tim Jones, a former teacher from Sheffield, said while Extinction Rebellion had done a lot to disrupt the public the group activists knew now that they needed to do more to target the institutions responsible for the climate crisis.

“Shell is one of the biggest offenders,” he said, before taking part in the action Wednesday. “The awful, awful greenwashing they’re doing, they’re portraying themselves as the good guys in this – that they’re the one who are going to get us out of this crisis.”

Asked whether Extinction Rebellion was changing tactics because of the criticism levelled at the group for causing disruption to members of the public, Mr Jones, 39, said wider disruption was still necessary.

“There has to be an element of disruption, we can’t only target big corporations because they’re really good at ignoring disruption,” he said. “People won’t listen until they can feel and that’s critical to our theory of change.”

Mr Jones said the group apologised for disrupting people’s lives but said it had been shown to be one of the key success factors in any civil resistance movement.

More from Saphora Smith at Shell HQ:

Addie May, 31, said she was stuck on the floor outside Shell because she was trying to put pressure on government and big business to divest from fossil fuels and use and build up renewable energy.

“The climate catastrophe is already happening and people are already suffering right now,” she said. “We can change this all now if systems change, if the government and big business wanted to change it tomorrow they really really could.”

Ms May said they were forced to take action like this because the government and big business was not listening to anyone.

Michael, 39, who was stuck on the floor next to her said companies like Shell have known about the damage that they’ve been doing to the environment for decades.

“Companies like this really bear the brunt of the responsibility in my opinion,” he said. “We’re calling on them to now try to make amends for some of that and make bolder moves forward.”

Extinction Rebellion says it is also looking for whistleblowers. Activists have put up posters saying “insiders wanted” on the Shell HQ reception desk.

Today’s project comes just a week after XR activists threw fake oil over the Shell HQ:

A Shell spokesperson said:

“We agree that society needs to take urgent action on climate change. Shell has a clear target to become a net-zero emissions business by 2050, in step with society.

“We are also committed to the UK and are planning to invest between £20 to 25bn in the UK energy system over the next decade – with more than 75 per centof this will be in low and zero-carbon, including offshore wind, hydrogen and electric mobility.

“We respect the right of everyone to express their point of view and welcome constructive engagement on our strategy and the energy transition. We do ask, however, that in doing so people do not threaten or intimidate our people or put anyone’s safety at risk.”

More from Saphora Smith at Shell HQ:

Ruskin Wilson, 23, said he had stuck himself to the floor outside Shell headquarters in London because fossil fuels and the corporations that burn them are the main causes of the climate crisis.

“They have no interest in stopping despite all of the disastrous impacts it will have ecology, people, everything,” he said. “Despite that they’ll still continue to burn fossil fuels, so we’re here glued to the floor in protest against that because it feels like the only thing that we can do.”

Mr Wilson who studies environmental management at the University of West of England in Bristol said he was scared of the future the planet was headed for. He said he hoped the demonstration today would prompt employees of Shell question who they work for and what they do for a living.

“Hopefully they’ll see a better way,” he said. “There’s a better way of life out there where we don’t have to burn fossil fuels and destroy the climate and destroy people’s lives.”

That is all from us for today. Thanks for following.

The XR protest follows spoof Shell adverts which have popped up across London bus stops.

“Climate breakdown? We cause it,” one says.

I wrote about this here: