Extinction Rebellion Forres explain Shell blockade

TWENTY one protestors from Forres blockaded the entrances to an international company headquarters in the UK's oil and gas capital.

The group from Extinction Rebellion Forres joined a total of 50 people from throughout Scotland at Shell UK Exploration and Production in Aberdeen to close down the facility in protest at the billions they claim have been spent on a 40-year long campaign of mis-information and lobbying, promoting the fossil fuel driven economy that is causing devastation worldwide.

Simon Clark was one of the local protestors in Aberdeen who started the action at 6am.

He said: "We closed access to the building with our arrestables locked on in pairs across the entrances. The HQ was closed for the day. In the afternoon, the Forres Red Rebels, who embody the one blood of all life on earth, walked through Aberdeen city centre to draw attention, with followers handing out leaflets and talking to people. We received a lot of understanding and support. The action was very successful and there will be more."

The police and Shell took no action against the protestors.

Extinction Rebellion want the government to publish details on the fossil fuel industry’s role in driving the climate crisis, to wind up the industry and transition away from it.

The environmentalists also demand that the people of Scotland make the decisions on how this is done in a legally binding Citizens Assembly.

They also claim that the "dangerous" practice of draining oil and gas reserves is being replicated across the world, with extraction massively increasing.

Mr Clark said: "The Scottish and UK Government's, along with the oil companies, intend to extract every drop of oil and gas from the North Sea. Science says global emissions need to decrease by 7 per cent every year for the next 10 years, if global temperatures are to have any hope of staying under the 'safe limit' of 1.5 degrees.

"Shell and others need to stop the exploration and opening of all new oil and gas fields immediately, and using their size and fantastic engineering skills, carefully plan and implement a rapid transition, from dirty fossil fuels to a clean economy based on renewable energy.

"We are being lied to which is why we take these actions to bring public attention to what is going on. Many won't agree with our strategy, but I ask you if you read the science and see the inaction, what choices to we have?"

Moray's MSP Richard Lochhead highlighted the Scottish Government's efforts to address climate change.

He said: "There is a huge amount of effort underway to transition Scotland to a net zero carbon nation by 2045 and we are already leading the way in clean energy and renewables. Our climate change targets are some of the most ambitious targets in the world.

"In the meantime, the offshore industry continues to employ many of my constituents and a growing number now work in renewable energy sectors a well."

XR Forres member Rachel Winter confirmed there are over 100 local members.

She said: "There is a growing awareness and intensity in people. We meet every two weeks, alternating between the Tolbooth (next meeting February 17) and 1 Manse Road in Kinloss (next meeting February 3).

"We are starting up an Elgin Group and will give a Heading For Extinction talk at the Inkwell in early February."