Arrests have been made after six protestors from campaign group This is Rigged fixed themselves to the sole access road for INEOS’ Grangemouth refinery, demanding the Scottish government oppose new oil licences.
On Tuesday morning six people from the direct action campaign affixed themselves to Powdrake Road in Grangemouth with concrete and superglue, in a bid to halt fuel supplies from the terminal.
The protestors demand that the Scottish government “vocally oppose” all new oil and gas licences, and create “a fair and fully funded transition” for oil workers.
It marks the latest in a series of actions targeting the terminal, including those last week which saw members block the gates of the plant and scale buildings in similar protests as well as holding a climate camp “’occupation” within the site.
And on Sunday, two group members climbed the nearby Kelpies sculpture, pinning a banner reading “no new oil” and “fair transition now” – all part of a summer of action aimed at shutting down the oil and gas sector.
Action intended to ‘cut off’ fuel supplies
Powdrake Road is the sole access road to the Grangemouth facility, Scotland’s only crude oil refinery.
Operated by an INEOS and Petrochina joint venture – Petroineos – the site supplies around 70% of the fuel for Scotland’s petrol stations.
This is Rigged said today it hoped to cut off “the majority” of Scotland’s supplies, and that combined with last week’s disruption, fuel pumps north of the border “will start to run dry” – though this appears unlikely given the length of the disruption.
A spokeswoman for Police Scotland said: “We are aware of protesters at the INEOS site in Grangemouth.
“A number of arrests have been made and officers remain in attendance.”
INEOS has been approached for comment.
Jamie, a 25-year-old student who participated in the action, said: “We can no longer stand by while we head into a climate disaster. We must put an end to the growth of oil and gas to secure a safe future for everyone and not just line the pockets of the rich.”
Xander, a community food coordinator said: “Every moment this road to INEOS is open propels us further and further into climate collapse.
“It serves only the profits of Jim Ratcliffe, the UK’s second richest man, at the expense of ordinary people. We can’t allow it to go on any longer. We need a fair transition for workers to renewable energy.”
The group has vowed to “shut down the Scottish oil industry” and said it will continue taking action until the Scottish government meets its demands.
The action comes on the same day that campaigners from Greenpeace and Uplift attended the High Court in London for the first hearing in a judicial review over the government’s plans to continue offering licences for North Sea oil and gas exploration.
Bids for new acreage are currently under consideration by regulator the North Sea Transition Authority (NSTA), and could result in over 100 new licences being granted as part of the 33rd Licensing Round.
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