Climate activists belonging to the This is Rigged group staged demonstrations at two oil sites in Scotland on Wednesday, resulting in the arrest of eleven individuals.
The protests targeted the Ineos refinery in Grangemouth, Fife, and the Nustar Clydebank oil terminal in West Dunbartonshire. Demonstrators claimed to have disrupted the flow of oil from the sites by occupying pipework, a fuel silo, and forming blockades at the terminal gates. In their social media posts, the campaign group stated that they had no intention of stopping and aimed to shut down the Scottish oil industry.
Grangemouth, which supplies 90% of Scotland’s oil, and the Nustar Terminal in Clydebank were both affected by the demonstrations. Protesters occupied the pipework and fuel silo while another group immobilized a car park filled with tankers at the Grangemouth facility, effectively preventing fuel from leaving the sites.
This action marks the beginning of a sustained series of actions by This is Rigged, urging the Scottish government to facilitate a “just transition” for oil and gas workers instead of supporting billionaires like Jim Ratcliffe, the owner of Ineos.
In response to the protests, an Ineos spokesperson stated that the Grangemouth terminal had been temporarily closed to traffic due to safety concerns. They emphasized that their manufacturing operations remained unaffected and that they were working closely with the incident management team and the police to ensure the safety of all involved. Ineos acknowledged its role in addressing climate challenges and expressed its commitment to driving the transition towards net-zero emissions and a circular economy.
Police Scotland confirmed that they had made several arrests in connection with the protests at the Ineos site in Grangemouth. They continue to monitor the situation, prioritizing the safety of all individuals involved.
Nustar has yet to provide a comment on the demonstrations.
As climate activism gains momentum, protesters are increasingly targeting oil and gas facilities, calling for a swift transition to renewable energy and highlighting the urgency of addressing the climate crisis.
Eleven people have been arrested in climate protests which targeted two oil sites in Scotland.
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