Land Rover's Lode Lane plant in Solihull was turned into a 'climate crime scene' yesterday by Greenpeace activists. Shahid Naqvi reports...
Fresh from climbing on to John Prescotts roof, Greenpeace was at it again yesterday.
The target this time: Land Rovers Solihull plant. The mission: To label the factory a climate crime scene for marketing 4x4s to urban dwellers.
From small beginnings to 2.8m members worldwide
Greenpeace has a history of publicly challenging and holding companies, conglomerates and countries to account on environmental issues. The group first shot to prominence in 1971 when a small group of protesters tried to stop the US government testing nuclear weapons on Amchitka Island, near Alaska. The authorities were forced to abandon the tests after the protesters chartered a fishing vessel, renamed it Greenpeace, and sailed it into a prohibited zone. This was to be the first of many high-profile campaigns by the organisation. In the late 70s, Greenpeace stepped up its battle against the Icelandic and Norwegian whaling fleets by launching its flagship Rainbow Warrior. The ships crew managed to decipher the whalers radio signals and positioned themselves between the harpoons and the whales. In 1985, a French secret service agent planted two bombs on board the Rainbow Warrior, while she was moored in Auckland, New Zealand. The ship sank and a photographer was killed. Greenpeace UK was formed in 1977, with four members and £800, in a borrowed office in Whitehall. The organisation now has 221,000 members across the country. In 1988, it received an award from the United Nations Environmental Programme for outstanding environmental achievement. Greenpeace activists have a policy of using non-violent confrontation to draw attention to environmental problems, but often place themselves in the path of danger. Greenpeace is active in some 40 countries and has about 2.8 million members. |
If Land Rover worker Pep Rana is anything to go by, the campaign terrorism methods do appear effective.
I wasnt aware it was such a big issue, but I am interested in it now, said the 25-year-old IT worker after picking up a leaflet handed out by one of the activists outside the plants Lode Lane entrance.
When I go back I will be looking at what Ford does with regard to their environmental stance.
The protesters are here so there must be something. It will leave me wanting to get a bit more information.
There was however, another response to the protesters presence.
At lunch -time in the nearby Olton Tavern, one Land Rover worker had a very different view.
Someone should turn the hosepipes on them, he said, sucking on a cigarette.
They are all Commies and students at the end of the day.
When they get to 40 or 50 and they are lawyers and doctors, they will all be driving around in Land Rovers. We are trying to make cars and they are stopping us.
Outside the main gate, where about ten protesters had gathered, the mood was friendly. Police officers chatted with them as they handed out leaflets to workers arriving and leaving in their cars.
Most responded with a shake of their head, some politely took the leaflets, occasionally the campaigners were urged to get a proper job.
Lax security had allowed more than 30 Greenpeace protesters wearing fluorescent orange jumpsuits under donkey jackets and carrying heavy chains pass through.
In an audacious twist, the activists even claim they were helping Land Rover workers save their jobs.
We are not here to damage the company, we are here to help them make a sustainable leap for the future and the plant, said Andrew Girling, a 42-year-old campaigner from Dudley.
Once again it is British manufacturing being left behind with development. It has been the failure of most of manufacturing in this region to invest in future products.
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The protesters attacked Land Rover for its aggressive marketing of its gas guzzlers to the urban customers.
Jo Cuper, aged 25, a Greenpeace campaigner who travelled from London to protest, also attacked urban dwellers who drive 4x4s.
I think the people driving them are incredibly irresponsible, she said.
We want people to see them for what they are they are killing the climate.
Greenpeace said it is keen to make an impact with Britain taking over presidency of the EU and the G8 summit this year.
The protest at Land Rover is expected to cost the company £330,000 in lost production. The luxury Range Rover production line produces nine vehicles per hour and protesters were still chained to cars for seven hours.
Production re-started for only 45 minutes at the end of the eight hour day shift, which lasts until 4pm.
