Here is an article by a young new supporter about his experiences at Shellday in July:
At first the idea of actually joining Greenpeace on a protest seemed like one of those things that you never imagine yourself doing, but something that other people do and you read about later. Hidden away I had been reading about environmental topics on websites including Greenpeace’s, happily signing petitions and the rest. However, with the Save the Arctic campaign, I realised that becoming actively involved is much easier than I initially thought! It may seem like a lot to get involved and spend an hour or a day campaigning, but once you have arrived it all becomes worth it.
I had no idea what to expect before I arrived. I was slightly nervous but above all excited since it was my first protest. I arrived to meet very welcoming Greenpeace workers and supporters and felt secure very quickly.
At our third protesting stop the S-hell station locked the doors on us. Perhaps they were afraid of Greenpeace’s image of being aggressive that the media is good at promoting. But at Shell Bayswater the manager was friendly and some of the police who followed us also showed a bit of support for the campaign!
What was important about the day was that I realised I could do something beyond signing a petition and it impassioned me more about saving the Arctic and spreading the word. I really hope that the UN will be bold enough to stand up against the corrupt Shell company and distance themselves from such short-term greed and misguided intent.
I returned home with sore legs after many hours of travelling around London. It was a very rewarding day but I am prepared to do much more for this campaign and won’t settle until the UN realise the stupidity of Shell’s actions and fully protect the unique and fragile wilderness of the Arctic. The Arctic needs and deserves the same protection as the Antarctic.
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