BP Picket

On December 10th, World Human Rights day, a picket was held outside the London headquarters of British Petroleum, Britain’s number one company.

The picket was to highlight the ecological devastation caused by BP and their involvement with, and generous funding of, death-squads in Colombia. BP have handed over to the brutal military 16th Brigade, video and photographic evidence of trade unionists, environmentalists and peasant farmers who have dared to complain about the oil spillage’s which have poisoned rivers, crops and livestock. Just days later these protesters have been beaten, tortured or been found murdered.

Police presence at the picket was fairly minimal but as usual they played a very active role in working with the corporate lackeys to thwart almost every attempt to hang banners from the building. Eventually, a huge blood spattered ‘Bloody Petroleum’ banner, aping BP’s corporate logo was unfurled right across the front of the building much to the grey suited inhabitants annoyance. Another banner detailing the killings and BP’s ecological damage in Colombia was hung between two trees directly opposite. In your face! The event was covered by Colombian news crews and there was a good turnout of Colombian exiles, many of whom were at risk of either being deported or being hit in this country by the death squads who have very long arms.

On the morning of the picket outside BP HQ there was an attempt to stop and lock onto a BP tanker as it crossed the Dartford Bridge in London. Although this was supposed to have been a well kept secret, the action was badly busted by the police immediately beforehand and therefore did not happen. It is not entirely clear how they knew but it shows again the need for security measures to be taken seriously on such actions.

For details of future actions against BP contact London Reclaim The Streets on: 0171 281 4621.