Greenpeace activists vow to continue battle over BP oil rig, despite arrests

Greenpeace activists have vowed to continue a battle to prevent an “irresponsible” oil rig from reaching a North Sea field, despite arrests and the structure leaving port.

Campaigners occupied the rig in the Cromarty Firth, north of Inverness, last week.

Under contract to BP, the rig left the area on Friday night and is currently off the coast of Scotland. A total of 14 arrests have been made, police said.

"For nearly a week, our brave activists strained every sinew to stop this BP rig from drilling new oil wells and fuelling the climate emergency. And it's not over," said John Sauven, executive director of Greenpeace UK.

"As we speak, our ship the Arctic Sunrise is sailing towards Scotland ready to play her part in thwarting BP's plans,” he added. "They say we're reckless and irresponsible. We say there's nothing as reckless and irresponsible as pushing the world closer to a climate catastrophe."

The protesters want BP to stop drilling for oil. They hope to stop the Transocean rig from reaching the Vorlich oil field.

A BP spokesman said the oil giant "supports debate, discussion and peaceful demonstration, but the irresponsible actions of this group are putting themselves and others unnecessarily at risk, while ignoring court orders and police action."

He added: "We share the protesters' concerns about climate change, we support the Paris Agreement and are committed to playing our part to advance the energy transition.

"However, progress to a lower-carbon future will depend on coming together, understanding each other's perspectives and working to find solutions, not dangerous PR stunts that exacerbate divisions and create risks to both life and property.

Earlier this week it was revealed that permafrost has begun thawing in the Canadian Arctic more than 70 years early, in the latest evidence of climate change.