Around 100 Greenpeace activists staged a protest at BP's central London headquarters early Wednesday, marking Bernard Looney's first day as chief executive. The demonstrators brought 500 solar panels to the St James's Square building at 3am, intending to install them on the pavements and roads, but were prevented by police. Instead, some protesters sat under the panels, while others locked themselves to oil barrels bearing the BP logo, blocking all six entrances to the building.
About half of the activists remained outside four hours after the demonstration began. Protesters aimed to highlight BP's role in the climate crisis and demand a transition to renewable energy. Richard George, a Greenpeace activist, stated that BP's lobbyists block climate action globally and that the company spends billions on oil and gas extraction, exacerbating extreme weather events.
Looney, who joined BP in 1991, succeeds Bob Dudley, who led the company through the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. BP issued a statement saying Looney shares the 'deep concerns' of climate protesters and will outline his vision for the company's low-carbon energy transition in a speech next week. The company expressed hope that his remarks will demonstrate their seriousness in addressing the climate problem.
Greenpeace has previously targeted BP's sponsorship of cultural institutions, including the Royal Opera House and the Royal Shakespeare Company, which ended its partnership with BP last year. The activists demand that BP cease investing in fossil fuels and produce a plan to exit the oil business entirely.
