Five Greenpeace protesters have been arrested after covering the home of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in black sheets of fabric on Thursday as the group seeks to challenge the UK's oil drilling policies.
The protests stood atop the home with a banner that read "Rishi Sunak- oil profits or our future?"
The United Kingdom has drawn the wrath of environmentalists with its "proportionate approach" to climate change as it seeks to juggle energy security, the cost of energy to consumers, and environmental concerns as part of a net-zero plan. While Britain has a goal of reaching net-zero by 2050, PM Sunak has stated that even by 2050, more than a quarter of its energy will still come from oil and natural gas.
Sunak personally signed off on hundreds of new oil and gas extraction licenses for the North Sea, in addition to throwing his support behind two carbon capture and storage outfits in Scotland and northern England.
Four protestors reached the roof of the PM Rishi Sunak's private residence on Thursday, and spent five hours encasing the home in black fabric, before being arrested.
Last month, British police were given more power through the Public Order Act to clamp down on disruptive protestors like those from Just Stop Oil, and Extinction Rebellion-and including Greenpeace protesters like the ones trespassing at the British PM's private residence. British Transport Police and the Ministry of Defence Police also received greater powers to deal with static protests so they don't have to lean just on local forces. Critics of the tougher laws have argued that it threatens the right of the people to protest.
The British Home Office said in early July that protests across the country occupy the capacity of 150 Metropolitan Police officers every day.
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
Julianne Geiger is a veteran editor, writer and researcher for Oilprice.com, and a member of the Creative Professionals Networking Group. More
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