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Activists end protests at two Scottish oil sites

This Is Rigged members say the protests aimed to ‘shut down’ Scotland’s oil industry.

Ryan McDougall
Thursday 20 July 2023 16:30 EDT
Police remove protesters from an oil tanker at the Ineos refinery in Grangemouth (Jane Barlow/PA)
Police remove protesters from an oil tanker at the Ineos refinery in Grangemouth (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

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Climate activists who held protests at two major Scottish oil sites have stepped down, Police Scotland have said.

Members of This Is Rigged gathered from about 4am on Wednesday and for most of Thursday at the Nustar Clydebank oil terminal.

Fellow protesters also gathered at Grangemouth’s Ineos oil refinery where they blocked gates, climbed pipes and sat on top of tankers.

Police Scotland said on Thursday that the protesters have since left both areas.

This Is Rigged previously said three activists were on top of the silo at the Clydebank terminal and claimed there was “no oil tanker activity since they arrived at around 4am [on Wednesday] morning”.

In Grangemouth, 20 protesters were arrested over alleged public order offences and breach of the peace.

All will appear on undertakings at Falkirk Sheriff Court at a later date.

They said their aim was to “shut down the Scottish oil industry”, as disruption forced the closure of the Ineos refinery for several hours.

An Ineos spokesman previously said that manufacturing at the site was not affected.

Nustar has been contacted for comment.

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