This week, people like you and me, all around the world, stood up to #tellshell – no. We don’t have as much money as Shell but we do have courage and creativity on our side and with a million people already signed up to our scroll to protect the Arctic we also have people power.

What we have shown this week is that, against all odds, we can win this fight.

Shell was supposed to be drilling right now but a combination of unexpectedly harsh weather – who knew that this was unpredictable environment – and slap stick incompetency from Shell has prevented them. Sometimes if feels like the gods are on your side.

To add to their problems, Greenpeace offices around the world took action last week in 110 cities in 19 countries to make sure that Shell stays out of the Arctic. It looks like you have been busy too. Here are some of the highlights from around the world.

 

Friday 13 July

Saturday 14 July

  • 400 activists in 40 cities in Germany kick things off at Shell forecourts.

Monday 16 July

  • Greenpeace UK activists shut down 78 Shell petrol stations in London and Edinburgh and broadcast it all LIVE on GPTV, the world's first direct action TV channel. 
  • Greenpeace Argentina shuts down a Shell petrol station with the help of some dead polar bears.
  • Greenpeace Nordic takes action at Shell forecourts in Denmark.

Tuesday 17 July

  • More forecourt action in Denmark by Greenpeace Nordic.

Wednesday 18 July

Thursday 19 July

  • Bear activists from GP Hungary scaled Shell petrol stations in Budapest and were eventually removed by the fire brigade.
  • Teams from GP Czech Rep visited lots of garages to #tellShell to #SaveTheArctic.
  • A team of polar bears from GP France locked themselves inside Shell’s HQ and were only dragged out by rather heavy-handed looking police.
  • Hordes of cyberactivists tell Shell precisely what they think of the company’s Arctic plans on its Facebook page.
  • Greenpeace US drops the winning banner from the ArcticReady.com competition to find the best spoof Let’s Go! advert next to Shell’s US HQ in Houston, Texas. Meanwhile, millions flocked to ArcticReady.com clocking up over 12,000 spoof adverts.
  • A team of 35 climbing polar bears from Greenpeace Argentina shut down Shell’s giant oil terminal in Buenos Aires for over 24 hours.

Friday 20 July

  • Greenpeace Nordic takes it to the forecourts in Stockholm.
  • Greenpeace Chile stage their own polar bear die in at a Shell petrol station.
  • You get on the phone to #tellshell to get out of the Arctic.

This is just the start, but with a growing global movement – people like you and me – drawing a line in the ice and saying: "you come no further", we can get Shell out of the Arctic.

 

Sarah Shoraka is a campaigner for Greenpeace International.