Eco-activists tried to disrupt Shell's shareholders meeting

Shell's annual shareholder meeting in London escalated into chaos with more than an hour of climate protests that delayed the start of a meeting during which the oil company's investors rejected new carbon reduction targets.

This is reported by the Guardian.

The oil company faced a vote by shareholders backed by major pension funds and investors to set carbon reduction targets by 2030, while dozens of protesters called for an immediate end to fossil fuel production.

The company asked shareholders to vote against the climate resolution organized by the Follow This group. In recent years, the group has gradually gained the support of large investors, although it has not yet reached the majority.

According to preliminary estimates of the company, Shell's shareholders rejected this decision by 79.8% against 20.2%. A similar Follow This resolution in 2022 also received 20% support.

Mark van Baal, founder of Follow This, said at the meeting that shareholders voting in concert with the company's management "allow Shell to continue causing the climate crisis and jeopardize the company's long-term future."

Shell's Board of directors was prepared to disrupt the meeting, saying it had received "intelligence" about possible "threats" to the meeting in advance.

Chaos began in the first minute. As soon as the rally started, one of the protesters got up and started shouting. He said, " Do you like David Attenborough, the most popular man in this country? He said was crazy that banks and pension funds were investing in fossil fuels."

McKenzie asked him to sit down, saying the company wanted to hear the opinions of others. In response, the crowd began singing "Go To Hell, Shell" to the tune of Hit the Road Jack. This was followed by shouts of "close Shell" and "we hate Jackdaw" — a reference to Shell's oil field in the North Sea.

It was 45 minutes before Mackenzie officially opened the meeting, but the protests lasted more than an hour. At one point, security personnel rushed to the front of the hall to protect the leadership as protesters tried to approach the stage. While the guards were removing eco-activists, scuffles broke out.

Shell's spokesperson said: "We agree that society should take action on climate change, respect the right of people to express their views, and welcome any constructive involvement in our strategy and energy transition. However, the protesters again have showed that they are not interested in constructive interaction."

Earlier, environmental activists of the Climate Solidarity Movement protested outside the Office of the Ruling Polish Party "Law and Justice" in Warsaw.

It is noted that citizens glued themselves to the walls and chained to the radiator. According to activists, municipalities should develop energy cooperatives and transfer part of the power over energy companies with state participation to the local population.

It was also reported that activists of the Letzte Generation environmental movement poured a black oil-like substance over a glass installation with engraved articles of the German Constitution, located near the Bundestag building.