Four Greenpeace environmentalists arrested after protesting on the roof of Sunak's house

Four activists from the environmental organization Greenpeace have been arrested after climbing on Thursday on the roof of the house of the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, in the north of England in protest for his support for the expansion of oil and gas extraction in the sea. from North.

A North Yorkshire County Police spokeswoman has confirmed the arrest of the protesters on the grounds of the Prime Minister's property in the town of Kirby Sigston, within the constituency he represents.

Greenpeace has indicated for its part in a statement that its members have been apprehended after “five hours” of peaceful protest when the house was empty, since Sunak, his wife and their two daughters left on vacation for California (United States) on Wednesday. .

The activists used ladders and harnesses to climb in the morning to the roof of the house, valued at about 2 million pounds (2.3 million euros), and -once on the roof- they unfolded a 200-square-meter cloth ” black as oil”.

The protesters “have decided to go down early in the afternoon, after holding talks with the Police”, which was alerted at 07:00 GMT, the note stated.

A Greenpeace spokesman, Philip Evans, has ensured that the strategy was calculated for when the house was empty and argues that all activists “are rigorously trained” not to endanger people or property.

“Our activists have come downstairs, having delivered their message to the prime minister, who is on vacation 5,000 miles (about 8,000 km) away.. It is time for Sunak to decide which side he is on: big oil profits or our future on a habitable planet.”

This was precisely the legend contained in a banner that the protesters displayed in the garden, alluding to the recent announcement by the Conservative government to grant more than a hundred new licenses to companies for the exploration and possible extraction of fossil fuel from the North Sea.

Like other organizations and environmental experts, Greenpeace has criticized that this measure goes against the objectives against climate change of the Government itself and the warnings of its advisers, the International Energy Agency and the UN.