Greenpeace shuts down BP gas stations in London

Source Guardian (UK)

BP petrol stations across central London were temporarily shut down by activists today in a move they said was designed to make the troubled oil company adopt greener policies. Greenpeace claimed supporters had at one time stopped the pumps at 46 outlets by stealing parts of safety switches in forecourts–action the company said was "childish and irresponsible". The protests, coinciding with the replacement of BP chief Tony Hayward by Bob Dudley, was meant to encouraged the public to help speed-up the end of the oil age. Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said: "The moment has come for BP to move beyond oil. Under Tony Hayward the company went backwards, squeezing the last drops of oil from places like the Gulf of Mexico, the tar sands of Canada and even the fragile Arctic wilderness ... They're desperate for us to believe they're going 'beyond petroleum'. Well now's the time to prove it." About 50 protesters were involved in the action today, including three teams of 12 who moved between BP sites attempting to remove pieces of safety equipment which they intended to return later.