Shell oil protesters climb National Gallery

Environmental campaigners climbed to the roof of the National Gallery today to stage a protest against energy giant Shell.

They scaled the gallery in London's Trafalgar Square, where an evening reception is being held for Shell, saying they wanted to demonstrate against plans to drill for oil in the Arctic this summer.

The campaigners, from Greenpeace, dropped a 40-metre square banner, which has a picture of an oil rig and the words It's No Oil Painting, down the front of the gallery.

One of the protesters, Hannah Davey, said: "Shell is using the National Gallery to try and impress people they've invited along. But, at the same time, they're planning to drill for oil in the freezing Arctic, our planet's last wild ocean.

"The Arctic's coastlines are home to indigenous people, and its waters nurture polar bears, beluga whales and walruses.

"We're here to tell Shell, and their guests, that oil companies have to keep out of the Arctic. The region is too fragile to risk an oil spill that experts say would be almost impossible to clean up."

PA