Greenpeace activist scales the Eiffel Tower

Man was protesting against the imprisonment of the Arctic 30

The Greenpeace banner hanging from the Eiffel Tower today (EPA)

A Greenpeace activist suspended himself from the Eiffel Tower in Paris today, with a banner urging the release of 30 activists held in Russia.

The yellow sign read: "Free the Arctic 30." Two hours after he got up there, firemen brought the man down peacefully.

The prisoners - 28 activists and two journalists - were arrested for protesting against oil drilling in the Arctic.

They were arrested after Russian coast guards seized their ship, Arctic Sunrise, following the 18 September protest. Greenpeace international director Kumi Naidoo called it the worst assault on the group's environmental activism since its flagship Rainbow Warrior was bombed in 1985.

Original charges of piracy against the group were lessened on Wednesday to hooliganism, which still carry a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.

Greenpeace France member Cyrille Cormier said: "We're here to ask the French government to do everything in their power to get the release of the 28 activists and two journalists who have been in jail in Russia for 38 days now."

The group wants French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to press for the group's release when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin next week.