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| Greenpeace stage 'polar bear' protest at Cairn Energy | Greenpeace stage 'polar bear' protest at Cairn Energy |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Dozens of activists dressed as polar bears are protesting inside the headquarters of a Scottish firm involved in Arctic oil exploration. | Dozens of activists dressed as polar bears are protesting inside the headquarters of a Scottish firm involved in Arctic oil exploration. |
| Greenpeace said about 60 campaigners had barricaded themselves in at Cairn Energy's offices in Edinburgh. | Greenpeace said about 60 campaigners had barricaded themselves in at Cairn Energy's offices in Edinburgh. |
| They are demanding the company publishes details of how it would respond to an oil spill. | They are demanding the company publishes details of how it would respond to an oil spill. |
| Cairn announced in June it had begun drilling at two wells off the coast of Greenland. | Cairn announced in June it had begun drilling at two wells off the coast of Greenland. |
| Campaigners have staged a series of protests in recent months, claiming Cairn has failed to explain how it would deal with a deep water drilling disaster similar to that which hit BP's Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico last year. | Campaigners have staged a series of protests in recent months, claiming Cairn has failed to explain how it would deal with a deep water drilling disaster similar to that which hit BP's Deepwater Horizon rig in the Gulf of Mexico last year. |
| In the latest protest, Greenpeace said its activists "invaded" the company offices at about 0815 BST to demand that Cairn reveals its oil spill plans. | |
| They also handed out leaflets to staff, urging them to become whistleblowers. | They also handed out leaflets to staff, urging them to become whistleblowers. |
| Greenpeace UK campaigner Paul Morrozzo said it was "time for Cairn Energy to end their cover-up". | Greenpeace UK campaigner Paul Morrozzo said it was "time for Cairn Energy to end their cover-up". |
| He added: "This cowboy oil company has consistently refused to release their Arctic oil spill response plans because they know any oil spill in the fragile and pristine environment of the High North would be impossible to clear up. | He added: "This cowboy oil company has consistently refused to release their Arctic oil spill response plans because they know any oil spill in the fragile and pristine environment of the High North would be impossible to clear up. |
| "It is normal oil industry practice for these documents to be made public but Cairn knows how completely inadequate their plans are, and how embarrassing it would be for them to have to face independent and expert scrutiny." | "It is normal oil industry practice for these documents to be made public but Cairn knows how completely inadequate their plans are, and how embarrassing it would be for them to have to face independent and expert scrutiny." |
| Mr Morrozzo said the campaigners would not leave Cairn's headquarters until the oil spill papers were "in the public domain". | Mr Morrozzo said the campaigners would not leave Cairn's headquarters until the oil spill papers were "in the public domain". |
| In a statement, Cairn said it operated in a "safe and prudent manner" wherever it was active. | In a statement, Cairn said it operated in a "safe and prudent manner" wherever it was active. |
| It continued: "The Greenland Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum has established some of the most stringent operating regulations anywhere globally, which mirror those applied in the Norwegian North Sea. | It continued: "The Greenland Bureau of Minerals and Petroleum has established some of the most stringent operating regulations anywhere globally, which mirror those applied in the Norwegian North Sea. |
| "It is in the interests of the Greenland Government to put in place the most stringent and robust measures." | "It is in the interests of the Greenland Government to put in place the most stringent and robust measures." |
| The company added: "Cairn takes its responsibilities such as oil spill contingency and response plans very seriously." | The company added: "Cairn takes its responsibilities such as oil spill contingency and response plans very seriously." |
| Greenpeace has attempted to halt Cairn's Arctic drilling operations on several occasions this year. | Greenpeace has attempted to halt Cairn's Arctic drilling operations on several occasions this year. |
| In June, Greenpeace's international executive director, Kumi Naidoo, was arrested along with another campaigner after boarding the Cairn-operated Leiv Eiriksson rig off Greenland. | In June, Greenpeace's international executive director, Kumi Naidoo, was arrested along with another campaigner after boarding the Cairn-operated Leiv Eiriksson rig off Greenland. |
| The arrests followed an injunction issued by a Dutch court, barring Greenpeace activists from approaching the drilling vessel. | The arrests followed an injunction issued by a Dutch court, barring Greenpeace activists from approaching the drilling vessel. |
| Cairn, through its subsidiary Capricorn, operates 11 blocks off Greenland and plans to drill up to four wells off Greenland in summer 2011. | Cairn, through its subsidiary Capricorn, operates 11 blocks off Greenland and plans to drill up to four wells off Greenland in summer 2011. |