CLIMATE protesters have targeted a lobbying reception at Holyrood organised by oil giant BP.
Campaigners from Extinction Rebellion Scotland gathered outside the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday evening, where they rolled out a red “carpet of shame” and a banner reading “don’t listen to BP” to welcome attendees.
The group said they were protesting over BP's pollution record and its ties to Israel, claiming that the company provides Israel with 28% of its oil needs.
The protesters were joined outside by several Scottish Greens MSPs, including party co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, Maggie Chapman and Ariane Burgess, who were all pictured addressing the crowd.
Cathy Allen, from Extinction Rebellion Edinburgh and Lothians, said: “Lobbying by rich corporations like BP in the heart of government is distorting our democracy, crowding out experts in science, renewable energy and those inspiring solutions by filling the room with the same old fossil fuel bullies that have brought us to the climate and humanitarian crisis we are in."
Freya Aitchison, oil and gas activism organiser at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “It’s outrageous that BP is welcomed into the Scottish Parliament by MSPs. Even in 1965, BP knew that extracting and burning fossil fuels would lead to climate breakdown, yet they hid this information and ploughed ahead with drilling, putting profits before people and planet.
"Modern day BP has clear links to genocidal regimes, fuelling the Israeli army jets and tanks destroying Palestine and profiting from fossil fuel extraction on occupied land. Scottish Government ministers and MSPs should be ashamed of themselves for cosying up to BP lobbyists while speaking about a Just Transition or Gaza in the next breath.
"When the Climate minister speaks at this shameless lobbying shindig, she should be telling BP that it must end fossil fuel extraction this decade and support its workers to transition into renewable energy roles. Anything else flies in the face of both climate science and justice.”
