Greenpeace stations giant polar bear filled with protesters outside Shell's HQ to protest Arctic drilling

Emma Thompson outside Shell HQ
Jeremy Selwyn
Ramzy Alwakeel3 September 2015

Greenpeace activists have lowered a three-tonne “polar bear” into place outside the Shell headquarters.

The creature, roughly the size of a double-decker bus, was positioned outside the oil giant’s South Bank office overnight and has been emitting “roars” into the building throughout the day.

Six protesters are locked to the inside of the bear so it cannot be removed by security.

The charity intends to leave it partially blockading the entrance until Shell’s Arctic drilling window ends on September 28.

Greenpeace is protesting against Shell’s Arctic oil drilling programme. It has won the support of actress Emma Thompson and singer Charlotte Church, both of whom have performed outside the Belvedere Road building in the past week.

Arctic: The bear, nicknamed Aurora, will be filled with protesters and positioned outside Shell's South Bank HQ until the end of September (Picture: Jeremy Selwyn)
Jeremy Selwyn

Musicians are holding “orchestral protests” there all month.

“Just over two weeks ago Shell got the final permits it needs to start drilling for oil in the melting Arctic Ocean,” said a Greenpeace spokesman.

“Shell is there right now, hastily boring holes to look for new oil reserves. It’s got a window of mere weeks to strike oil and billions of dollars are on the line. But every second it drills it’s risking an oil spill in icy waters that would be almost impossible to clean up and potentially disastrous for the people and unique wildlife that call the Arctic home.”

By the end of the year Greenpeace estimates Shell will have ploughed $7bn into Arctic drilling.

Protest: Emma Thompson with the giant polar bear outside Shell HQ today (Picture: Jeremy Selwyn)
Jeremy Selwyn

A spokeswoman for the firm criticised Greenpeace for the “publicity stunt”, insisting Shell had the “expertise and experience” to drill safely.

“Many Arctic peoples and governments support the opportunity to explore for oil and gas in their territories,” she said, “and those governments have awarded Shell the licenses to conduct those operations.

“Shell is actively engaged in developing solutions to the global energy challenge. We are pioneering carbon capture and storage technology, calling for a robust global price on carbon, and producing more gas, the least CO2-intense hydrocarbon.”

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