Olympic sailors join Extinction Rebellion to block Fawley refinery

At around 6.30am today (28 October), a group of Extinction Rebellion activists, including two Team GB Olympic sailors, broke into ExxonMobil’s Fawley oil terminal in Hampshire in a climate change protest.

British Olympians Laura Baldwin and Etienne Stott chained themselves to a pink boat, The Beverley Geronimo, on a trailer, blockading the main entrance to the site.

Laura Baldwin, Olympic sailor and coach, says: “I am a deeply protective mother, moved to take direct action in a desperate bid to force this suicidal system to change in time to limit the climate crisis worsening and slipping past the point of no return.

In an update at 09:45am, Extinction Rebellion UK says police are on the site but the staff blocked at this gate have been sent home for the day and the blockade continues.

A group of 15 protestors also gained entry by cutting the electric fence surrounding the perimeter and spread across the site in smaller groups, locking themselves onto the structures.

Seven activists have scaled two 50ft oil silos and unfurled banners that say ‘Climate Emergency’ and ‘No Future in Fossil Fuels’.

The protest comes just three days before the COP26 Climate Summit. The activists are calling for Exxon Mobil to stop its major expansion plans at Fawley Oil Refinery. The refinery, owned by ExxonMobil subsidiary Esso Petroleum company, currently supplies 20 per cent of all UK fossil fuels.

Extinction Rebellion UK tweeted that the UK’s largest oil refinery produces ‘270,000 barrels a day [of] crude oil’ and claims that the UK is ‘letting #Exxon expand to increase by 40 per cent’.

“Watching the news this summer was horrifying and heartbreaking, witnessing catastrophic climate impacts killing people on every continent of the globe. That we, as taxpayers are actually funding, through subsidies, the toxic and deadly oil industry is beyond absurd and it must stop now,” says Baldwin.

Olympic gold medalist Etienne Stott adds: “I think it’s totally wrong that oil companies continue to put their profits ahead of everyone’s right to a future on a living planet. We need our government to rein in these rogue companies as a matter of urgency and show to the world ahead of COP26 that the UK is prepared to take a genuine leadership position.”

“Watching Joe Lycett’s documentary on Channel 4 this week made me realise just how dishonest these fossil fuel giants are being, and it motivated me to get on board with this action today to continue to highlight the corruption and apply pressure where it’s needed.”

Extinction Rebellions UK accuses ExxonMobil of knowing about the ‘devastating effects of fossil fuel production on the environment’. The organisation warns that the company will cause ‘dramatic environmental effects’ in the coming decades and that the potential problem is great and urgent.

7 responses to “Olympic sailors join Extinction Rebellion to block Fawley refinery”

  1. Sandy Simpson says:

    I’m not aware of the existence of virtual Olympic sailing so perhaps Baldwin and Stott could tally up their Carbon Footprint in search of Olympic glory. Start with the Squad training as a child ,include Traveller Events , World Championships , training in warmer climes …..and the Olympics
    themselves, then look up the Oxford English Dictionary for the meaning of ” Hypocrisy”

  2. Chris Hornidge says:

    So these Olympic GB sailors who presumably took part in the games in Tokyo, were so concerned that they sailed to Tokyo rather than flying! I doubt it, and have double standards

  3. Ronald Button says:

    Leave the idiots chained to the silos, dont let anyone near them. Let them starve! How dare they stop people from earning their wages……..are they going to support their families?
    Drag the trailer with the boat out of the way…..including those chained to it, if they get hurt…..tough, shouldn’t be there!
    Arrest those that cut the electric fences, thats damaging property and tresspass. Infact, they could be arrested as terrorists, trying to blow up the silos!!! If the Police wont move them, let the Securiy Guards do it…..couple of kicks here and there would do it!!!

  4. chris hornidge says:

    Wonder how the two Olympic sailors got out to Tokyo!! ~~~~~~~~Probably a club class seat on BA. bet they didn’t sail out to avoid using fossil fuels?

  5. R Jones says:

    The marine industry and most other employers rely on oil products.
    Why are you reporting the actions of these fools?

  6. Derek Ellard says:

    I learnt to sail nearly seven decades ago and in that time I have watched with growing horror as the planet’s inhabitants willfully turned a blind eye to the destruction wrought by the greedy and powerful. In recent years I have designed a range of sailing cargo ships – www.gosailcargo.com to help us mend our ways. I fully support these young sailors and until we wake up and take action, future generations of sailors face an uncertain future. No doubt I too will face criticism for specifying back-up diesel generators on board my vessels, but the necessities of life, exotic fruits, fine wines the latest gadgets are in the hold and there’s doldrums ahead.

  7. Simon Morice says:

    I’m with you Derek.

    The deaf-blind driver is speeding our train towards a collapsed bridge while passengers demanding punctuality, tea and scones shout down the few alert ones who looked ahead. There really isn’t much time to stop the train from plunging into the ravine.

    This is the Age of Entitlement and it is likely to be our last…