The Greenpeace vessel carrying four youth climate activists made its voyage upriver to the COP26 conference, despite initial warnings from police not to proceed.
The captain of the Rainbow Warrior, Hettie Geenen, made a request on Saturday night for a berth outside the Scottish Event Campus (SEC) in Glasgow, where the COP26 talks are being held.
The request was refused by the authorities as per a ‘Notice to Mariners’, which stated that sailing down the River Clyde is not permitted and that the area is now controlled by the Police Scotland.
On the evening of 31 October, the vessel was also contacted by HMC Vigilant, who warned the ship’s captain continuing its voyage would be in breach of maritime laws, and that Police Scotland would “act accordingly”.
Greenpeace had stated it would defy authorities and continue to sail to the venue.
However, by the afternoon of 1 November, the activist group reported that Clyde port authorities and Police Scotland were now “looking at ways to facilitate the arrival.”
The ship left Port Glasgow at around 2pm. At 2:30pm, police closed the Erskine Bridge in both directions, as they awaited the passage of the vessel underneath.
As of 4pm, the rainbow Warrior had passed underneath the bridge, which has now been reopened.
#rainbowwarrior heading up the Clyde to #cop26Glasgow
A tight squeeze under the Erskine Bridge pic.twitter.com/I4x7Ppycv5
— Stephen Hearns (@StephenHearns1) November 1, 2021
According to reports, a river pilot had boarded and would navigate the vessel as far as the COP security buoys downriver from the SEC.
The Greenpeace captain has stated her intention to continue past the buoys to the venue itself.
Clyde pilot aboard. He’ll take them as far as the COP security bouys then leave. Skipper says she’s going thru them to the COP site itself. Police might have an opinion. Some debate about fitting under the Erskine Bridge. pic.twitter.com/XHFYhBRHTy
— alex thomson (@alextomo) November 1, 2021
The four youth climate activists onboard the ship are members of Fridays for Future MAPA (Most Affected People and Areas). They come from Namibia, Uganda, Mexico and Bangladesh and are demanding that world leaders must ‘stop failing us’ – a message echoed in a large banner on the vessel itself.
If voyage is successful, they will be met by fellow activists outside of the COP26 summit where they will deliver a powerful message to world leaders.
The Rainbow Warrior has recently been travelling around Scotland, including Aberdeen, as part of the Greenpeace “Just Transition Tour” ahead of COP26.
The activists say that the climate negotiations should not be taking place without the most impacted people there, yet a failure by rich nations to distribute vaccines equally have left many shut out of the event.
In a joint statement, Jakapita Faith Kandanga, Farzana Faruk Jhumu, Edwin Namakanga and Maria Reyes, said: “The authorities have seen sense and now understand that our presence at the climate summit is too important to shut out. It’s ridiculous to think that climate talks could be held without the most affected people there and it’s positive that the police and port authorities have changed their minds.
“World leaders attending the talks could learn a lot from this cooperation. We have been ignored long enough, and now with a safe passage to Glasgow our voices must be heard at COP26.”
© Supplied by Suzanne Plunkett / GIn a statement, Police Scotland assistant chief constable Gary Ritchie said: “The Rainbow Warrior is sailing towards the COP26 venue and the restricted area of the River Clyde at which time it will breach the regulations in place to ensure the security of COP26 and the safety of those in attendance.
“Harbour authorities had been in regular communication with the Rainbow Warrior and had instructed that, due to the restrictions and some significant safety concerns, it could not sail to its intended destination. Despite this, the Captain of the Rainbow Warrior signalled her intent to continue.
“Accordingly, following consultation between police and harbour authorities, it was considered that the safest option for the crew of the Rainbow Warrior and wider public was to ensure the safe passage of the vessel to its destination.
“We are now engaging with Greenpeace and all relevant partners to ensure the safe passage of this vessel, it’s passengers and the wider public.”