Greenpeace and Shell reach agreement on North Sea protest
Environmental group Greenpeace has reached an out-of-court settlement with Shell after protesters twice stormed a North Sea facility.
The charity has since agreed to pay £300,000 to the RNLI Preachers boarded the floating production ship while it was being transported Last year in the penguin area in the north east of Shetland.
The protesters have also agreed not to return to the four Shell platforms.
Greenpeace has accused Shell of using “intimidation tactics” against peaceful protests, while the oil giant says the stunt poses a serious threat to life.
Greenpeace activists boarded the White Marlin ship north of the Canary Islands in the Atlantic in January 2023 and occupied it for 13 days.
Activists campaigning against fossil fuels and oil drilling used inflatable boats to reach the Shell-contracted ship, before climbing aboard using ropes.
Following the agreement, Greenpeace said it would continue to campaign against shale, including in the North Sea.
Areeba Hamid, co-executive director of Greenpeace UK, said: “Shell thought we would be intimidated by them suing us for millions for peaceful protests, but this case turned out to be a PR mill around their neck.
“The public reaction against his bullying tactics forced him to back down and settle out of court.”
He said: “This settlement shows that the power of the people works. Thousands of ordinary people across the country supported our fight against Shell and their support means we will remain independent and able to hold Big Oil accountable.
“We have ensured that not a single penny of our supporters’ money will go to Shell and all money raised will be used to continue the campaign against the fossil fuel industry and other big polluters.”
A Shell spokesperson said: “Shell is pleased that the dispute has been resolved and that the payment for the costs incurred will benefit a charity working on maritime safety.
“For Shell, the right to protest is fundamental and has never been the issue. Instead, the case was about illegal boarding by protesters which a High Court judge described as “putting their lives at risk and indirectly Reportedly “endangering the lives of the crew”.
“He was also clear that Greenpeace could still protest from a safe distance and that their human rights had not been violated.”
Shell was originally suing Greenpeace for £1.7 million in damages.
