"How much does a Polar Bear weigh? I don't know, but it broke the ice!" ... this is why I shouldn't be left in charge of a megaphone! Throughout today around 30 of us have been protesting outside the Shell petrol station in Hove. Around 500 volunteers all over the UK have visited 57 Shell forecourts telling them to ditch their plans to drill in the Arctic. There have been further actions all over the globe including Canada, Sweden, Hungary and Russia. I wonder if Shell can hear us yet...
We were so busy handing out leaflets, waving to motorists tooting their horns in support and munching on delicious vegan cakes that it was easy to forget that there was a van full of policemen parked on the forecourt watching us.
Being in the company of wonderful new friends also helped - when someone turns up to a protest and says "Do you know what you're missing? A megaphone." and then pops home to get you one, then you know it's going to be a good day!
The megaphone gave us a great opportunity to communicate with motorists whilst they waited at the traffic lights next to the petrol station (or occasionally tell terrible jokes) and the excellent posters and placards that people had brought along drew a lot of attention too.
We handed out 1000 leaflets in just a few hours and had some incredibly positive responses - one convoy of cars, clearly on a 'lads day out' were so shocked to hear about Shell's plans that they drove straight off the forcourt without filling up, chanting loudly "Greenpeace! Save the Arctic!" as they left!
It was such a great day, full of so many smiles and new friendships, but it's important to remember why we have all come together to #tellshell. Shell must ditch their plans to drill in the Arctic. We all rely on the Arctic for our survival, you, me, the Polar Bear, the Walrus, Arctic Foxes, did I mention you and me?? We can stop Shell from leading the Arctic oil rush, and we must.

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