Fourteen Greenpeace activists have been arrested for more than 48 hours after trespassing into and occupying an LNG plant in Zeebrugge, Belgium.
Greenpeace Belgium stated that it was attempting to secure their release. Greenpeace Belgium head Valerie Del Re stated, “The criminals in this story are not our activists, but gas companies like Fluxys.”
“Activists Protest Fossil-Fuel Infrastructure at Belgian Facility”
“They continue to invest in new fossil-fuel infrastructure, which is disastrous for human rights and the environment.” It is incomprehensible why environmental campaigners will held for so long.”
On Saturday morning, activists from Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom launched inflatables into the Fluxys LNG facility in Belgium.
They climbed onto the quays used for loading and unloading LNG ships. And displayed a banner that read “Gas Kills” while others entered in kayaks. They occupied the space for six hours before. evacuated by police.
What Greenpeace Belgium head Valerie Del Re stated?
“Our nonviolent civil disobedience actions always follow the rule of do-no-harm,” Del Re remarked. They are a legal way of challenging practices that endanger all of us.
“We applaud the courage of our activists. Also we are doing all we can to help them in these difficult times.”
“Greenpeace calls for end to new gas infrastructure”
Greenpeace stated that the action intended to raise awareness of the involvement of gas operators such as Fluxys in the significant increase in LNG imports from the United States to Europe. According to the environmental protest organization, all new gas infrastructure should halted. And a European plan to phase out gas by 2035 should be implemented.
According to Greenpeace analysis, Europe boosted its LNG imports from the United States by 140% in 2022, since the start of the Ukrainian conflict. The European Union is building eight new LNG facilities, and plans for another 38 considered, according to the group.
“Global Climate Protests Spread with Road Blockades”
Greenpeace’s latest protest comes as climate activist groups have been staging road block protests all over Europe. Just Stop Oil sister groups, all funded by the same US philanthropists, the Climate Emergency Fund, now operate in 11 countries.
Protesters in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Switzerland have all used road barricade. And slow march tactics pioneered in the UK in the last month.
“Oil Activists March in London Despite Police Crackdown”
Just Stop Oil activists took to the streets of central London again on Monday morning, marching from four different places in Lambeth and Westminster beginning at 10 a.m.
Last week, the Home Office announced a change to legislation to allow police to more quickly ban slow march protests, after the sight of police forced to facilitate protesters’ actions enraged drivers and rightwing commentators.
The Greenpeace activists who arrested after occupying the gas terminal in Belgium have taken a brave. And principled stand against the continued use of fossil fuels. The urgency of the climate crisis demands that we take bold action to shift away from harmful. And unsustainable practices, and these activists are leading the charge. While some may criticize their methods, it is important to remember that civil disobedience has a long and storied history of effecting change in society. We hope that their actions will inspire others to take a stand for a more sustainable and just future.
