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Protesters enter Unilever factory Protesters enter Unilever factory
(30 minutes later)
More than 40 environmental campaigners are staging a protest at a Unilever plant in Merseyside. About 50 environmental campaigners are staging a protest at Unilever sites in Merseyside and London.
The group, from Greenpeace, entered the site at Port Sunlight in Wirral on Monday morning to demonstrate against its use of palm oil. The groups, from Greenpeace, went into the plant at Port Sunlight, Wirral, and Unilever House on Victoria Embankment to protest against its use of palm oil.
Merseyside Police have described the demonstration as peaceful. The company has yet to comment. Merseyside Police have described the Wirral demonstration as peaceful. The company has yet to comment.
Greenpeace claim the use of palm oil by companies such as Unilever is damaging rainforests in Indonesia. Greenpeace claims the use of palm oil by companies such as Unilever is damaging rainforests in Indonesia.
A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said the force was aware of the demonstration and officers were monitoring the protesters.A spokeswoman for Merseyside Police said the force was aware of the demonstration and officers were monitoring the protesters.
A Greenpeace spokesman said the group arrived in two vans at the front and back entrance of the site just before 0700 BST and simply walked in. A Greenpeace spokesman said the group arrived in two vans at the front and back entrance of the Wirral site at about 0640 BST and simply walked in.
'Controversial' ingredient
Some of the protesters were dressed as orang-utans and may have caused a distraction to security, the spokesman said.Some of the protesters were dressed as orang-utans and may have caused a distraction to security, the spokesman said.
Two members of the group were later pictured unfurling a banner above the entrance to Lever House at the site. We're not against use of palm oil per se, but what we are against is destruction of rainforests to support the palm oil plantations Greenpeace spokesman
The demonstrators are occupying the site in protest at Unilever's use of palm oil in some of its products, such as Persil, he added. Later at 0735 BST, campaigners dressed as orang-utans scaled ladders on to a balcony at the headquarters in London.
The demonstrators are occupying the sites in protest at Unilever's use of palm oil in some of its products, such as Persil, he added.
The spokesman said the group would leave "if Unilever agrees to stop buying palm oil from companies who are destroying rainforests".The spokesman said the group would leave "if Unilever agrees to stop buying palm oil from companies who are destroying rainforests".
"We're not against use of palm oil per se, but what we are against is destruction of rainforests to support the palm oil plantations," he added."We're not against use of palm oil per se, but what we are against is destruction of rainforests to support the palm oil plantations," he added.
Greenpeace is urging Unilever to use its influence to stop palm oil suppliers clearing areas of rainforest to support the crop. Greenpeace is urging Unilever to use its influence to stop palm oil suppliers clearing areas of rainforest - the natural habitat of orang-utans in Indonesia - to support the crop.
Palm oil is an ingredient in foods and soaps and a bio-fuel added to diesel for cars.Palm oil is an ingredient in foods and soaps and a bio-fuel added to diesel for cars.
The BBC's environment analyst Roger Harrabin said it was a controversial oil because it is often grown on rainforest land in South-East Asia.The BBC's environment analyst Roger Harrabin said it was a controversial oil because it is often grown on rainforest land in South-East Asia.