Protestors target BP petrol stations

Tuesday, 27 July 2010 12:00 AM

By politics.co.uk staff

BP petrol stations across London are being targeted by Greenpeace as the energy giant announced the biggest ever quarterly loss in Britain.

BP lost $17 billion in the three months to June as it faced huge clean-up costs for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill disaster.

Its chief executive Tony Hayward is being forced to quit his post, although he is likely to stay with the company.

Public anger against BP has been especially strong in the US, with much of it viewed as being anti-British.

But anger at BP manifested itself for the first time on Britain's shores today as Greenpeace targeted BP petrol stations in the capital.

"We want to send a strong message to BP's new boss to ditch the spin and actually move 'beyond petroleum'," a statement on the organisation's website said.

"But there's more. This is also about realising what we can achieve if we set our minds to it.

"We can end the oil age. We already have the tools we need to leave it behind and move towards a clean energy future. All that's missing is the determination to make it happen fast."

But comments on the Greenpeace website suggested not all agreed with the protest action.

One user, Gladioli, "When there are no other avenues to express dissent on important matters (and is anything more important than the survival of the planet?) people will resort to headline grabbing actions which do not necessarily build support."

Another, 'Granny Buttons', went further, writing: "We'll all just use up more oil looking for another station, and just to raise two fingers to you children we'll probably look for another BP one."

Tags:
• domestic policy
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• energy
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• environment