Activists have staged an animal-themed invasion of a public relations firm to protest against fracking in the UK.
Bizarrely, around 40 environmental campaigners from Reclaim the Power dressed as animals, threw leaves, spread manure and sprayed ink during the occupation of Bell Pottinger’s offices – a PR firm that has worked for shale gas explorers. The protest appears to be driven by factors including "green" trendiness, partisan reporting at the BBC, and a kind of group think within unions and state organisations against anything associated with “fracking” - seemingly for little more reason than the sound of the word in question.
The protest marks the end of two weeks of direct action from Reclaim the Power, during which time at least 17 separate events took place against the shale gas industry and its supply chain. The UK state failed to adequately protect companies going about their lawful business, and as a result jobs may not have been created that otherwise would have been. In addition, the action probably acted to worsen the UK’s trade balance and reduced tax take, limiting funds to its stretched NHS and other essential services – and putting up energy costs to those in fuel poverty.
Just like the opposition to GM foods, the anti-fracking brigade is gathering ever more irrational momentum in what experts see as really just another trendy “organic” cause. But in fact, fracking has been largely responsible for a dramatic reduction in U.S. CO2 emissions, and potentially could do the same in countries like China, Poland and South Africa, as well as the UK - alongside renewables. Reclaim the Power appeared to have little awareness of this.
The group said they targeted the firm because it previously helped protect Cuadrilla’s reputation following an earthquake allegedly caused by fracking in Blackpool in 2011. Bell Pottinger also currently represents Centrica, a major fracking investor in the UK.
Kim Bishop, one of the Reclaim the Power protestors, babbled: “This is the year that the fight against fracking intensifies. With the government not listening to the overwhelming opposition to fracking, people are having to stop it themselves. Now is the time to escalate action and call on suppliers to break their links with this industry nobody wants.”
There is no evidence of any mainstream public opposition to fracking, and many feel the group is another case of unsubstantiated minority views undermining the sensible law-abiding and hard working majority of society, including Bell Pottinger and the companies it works for.
Duped by the senseless opposition, the populist Scottish Government has banned fracking north of the border, while the calls of many English for a vote on Scottish removal from the British Union continue to go completely unheeded.