Tar Sands Update

8th October 2009 - Le HAVRE, NORMANDIE, FRANCE 30 Greenpeace activists display giant banners at Total’s refinery site in Gonfreville-l'Orcher, located close to Le Havre (Normandy), France, 8 October 2009. 

The action highlights the climate crimes that Total has invested  more than EUR 8 billion Tar Sands oil production site in Alberta, Canada.
The tar sands consist of a tarry bitumen mixed with shale and sand from which oil is extracted through a long, expensive and complex process. Greenpeace believes the tar sands is responsible for sustainable destruction of the environment and the climate.

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Final Greenpeace activists arrested after highlighting to the world the climate crimes of the tar sands during 24 hour occupation of Shell Upgrader site

Midnight 4 October 2009, Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada — All 16 Greenpeace activists who were arrested for their involvement in the occupation at the Shell Scotford upgrader site here are now out of police custody.

The occupation at the Shell site exposed the climate crimes of the tar sands. The Shell occupation, which lasted 24 hours, was the third by Greenpeace in Alberta over the past few weeks to bring the environmental destruction of the tar sands to the attention of world leaders.

The Shell occupation began at about 5 a.m. Saturday when 19 activists from Canada, France, Brazil, Sweden and Australia moved on to the property to occupy several structures in the heart of what many affected land owners call “cancer alley.”

On Saturday, police arrested seven activists.  On Sunday nine activists who overnighted in the damp cold were arrested at 5 a.m. All the activists are charged with breaking and entering, trespass and mischief.

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4 October 2009, 9 a.m. (Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta) —The Greenpeace occupation of the expansion site at the Shell Scotford upgrader here ended after 24 hours. The successful occupation again highlighted to the world the climate crimes of the tar sands.

 
The Shell upgrader action was the third by Greenpeace in Alberta over the past few weeks to expose tar sands climate crimes.
 
The nine activists who spend the night occupying structures were all arrested by at about 5 a.m. Alberta time. In all, 16 activists were taken into custody. Charges may include breaking and entering, trespass and mischief. At the time of this update, all remained in custody.
 
“This was another successful action to highlight the climate crimes of the tar sands. The addiction to oil that is fueling tar sands development is leading to climate chaos. Already, hundreds of thousands of people are dying every year because of climate change. We have sent a message to world leaders that it is time to stop the destructive energy path of the tar sands and develop a clean energy future.” —Mike Hudema, Greenpeace climate and energy campaigner.

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October 3, 2009 - Nineteen Greenpeace activists have struck again. This time they have scaled three stacks at Shell’s operation in Fort Saskatchewan to expose more of the climate crimes of the tar sands and send a Climate SOS to the world.

Activists from Canada, France, Brazil and Australia scaled the chimneys at an under-construction upgrader to stop more destruction before it can start. Two activists have been detained.