Janet Finch-Saunders, the Member of the Senedd for Bangor, Conwy and Môn, has written to First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth calling on him to condemn the actions of Greenpeace during a protest against the proposed Rosebank oil field in the North Sea.
On Sychnant Pass, which has already suffered significant damage from a recent wildfire, protestors have created a 1,120-square-metre image of the Prime Minister using white paint, as part of their campaign against oil and gas.
While Greenpeace has stated that the paint has only been applied to areas without organic matter following the blaze, this does not take into account wildlife that could potentially pass through the area.
Such actions should rightly be treated as a crime, and this protest must not set a precedent for similar activity in the future.
Janet commented:
“The actions at Sychnant Pass are completely unacceptable and should be strongly condemned.
“I have written to the First Minister calling on him to condemn what has happened. This is an area that has already suffered significant damage from wildfire, and it should be protected, not used as a canvas for political protest.
“Whatever your views on Rosebank, oil or gas, environmental protest must not come at the expense of our natural environment. I fully agree with farmer Gareth Wyn Jones that if anyone else were to do this, it would rightly be deemed an environmental crime.
“We must be consistent: if we genuinely care about protecting our environment, actions that cause harm to it must be treated seriously, whoever is responsible.”
ENDS
Photo: Janet Finch-Saunders MS/AS
