Environmental campaigners from across Dorset met yesterday, Sunday 11th June, to protest about the continuedextraction of oil in Poole Harbour by Perenco. Daniel Glennon from Extinction Rebellion Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (XR BCP), said that “local groups from Wimborne (XRW), Purbeck (XRP), and Dorchester, Weymouth and Portland (XR DWP), supported the event, demonstrating against the continued high-risk pumping of oil in the harbour.”
As previously reported, Greg Lambe from Extinction Rebellion are “concerned that the risk of another, larger oil leak by Perenco, continues to increase the longer Perenco continues to drill and extract.” This is partly because of the increase in age of their infrastructure and because of their need to make their facilities, including Poole Harbour,profitable. Caz Dennett, an experienced safety consultant in the Oil & Gas Industry, told us that “Perenco made a £113 million loss in 2019, and £107 million loss again in 2020, in their UK operations.” She went on to state that “Perencoreduced their operating costs by 10%, and in real speak that means they made cuts. These cuts come at a cost, and Dorset has paid the price.”
Great pains were taken to ensure that this afternoon’s Extinction Rebellion event was peaceful, family orientated and inclusive. The event started with drumming by the XR BCP Rhythms Band. This was followed by an ‘Open Mike’ session to enable members of the public, with whatever opinion, to make their point.
Following this, Extinction Rebellion Wimborne’s Pink Rebels unfurled a banner “End Fossil Fuels Now”, and marched whilst chanting “Save Poole Harbour”. Joanna Bury from Extinction Rebellion Wimborne said, “The hypocrisy of local and central government allows Perenco to continue to risk the precious biodiversity of Poole Harbour by extracting oil at Wytch Farm. Poole Harbour is a hotspot for nature and is supposedly subject to an encyclopaedia of environmental protections”
To emphasis this risk XR BCP’s ‘Oil Slickers’ team slowly paraded down Poole High Street and along the Quay where they performed in their black costumes.
Throughout the event XR supporters spoke to the public and handed out leaflets explaining why they were taking this action. Adam Osman from XR BCP said that “the Environment Agency needs to revoke Perenco’s license to extract oil now before another oil leak occurs”. He added that “local councillors and MP’s should be making their voices heard, in support revoking the licence as well”.
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