Greenpeace activists in Essex arrested blocking oil tanker

Greenpeace activists unfurled banners on the Thames Estuary that said "oil fuels war"

Fifteen Greenpeace activists have been arrested after they blocked an oil tanker which they said contained a shipment of Russian diesel.

The group gained access to the Navigator Terminals in Grays, Essex, via boat, at 23:00 BST on Sunday and scaled the tanker's berth.

The protesters unfurled banners that read "oil fuels war".

Essex Police said they had all been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass.

Greenpeace said the 183-metre long Greek tanker was carrying a 33,000-tonne shipment of Russian diesel and they blocked it in protest at the UK government allowing fossil fuel money to fund the war in Ukraine.

Eight people, aged 27 to 72, were arrested in the early hours of Monday morning, with another seven arrested by 14:00.

The protest at the Navigator Terminal in Essex took place in the shadow of the Queen Elizabeth II bridge

Georgia Whitaker, oil and gas campaigner at Greenpeace UK, said: "The UK's attachment to fossil fuels has backfired in the worst way possible - we're funding a war, our energy bills and fuel costs are sky-high, and we're driving the climate crisis. It has to stop.

"Putin invaded Ukraine nearly three months ago, and yet fossil fuel money from the UK is still funding his war chest.

"Ministers have kicked a ban on Russian oil imports to the end of the year despite strong public support for it."

A government spokesperson at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy said: "We have already said we will phase out Russian oil imports by the end of the year.

"There is absolutely no excuse for Greenpeace's disruptive actions, which are wholly unacceptable."

Eight people have been arrested overnight after 12 activists blocked the terminal

Essex Police said the site had been cleared and the 15 people remained in custody,

A spokesman for the force said: "Policing is not anti-protest, but we must intervene where there is a risk to life or where there is a suspicion laws are being broken.

"We always work to resolve incidents such as these as safely and swiftly as possible so that our officers can get back to protecting and serving the people of Essex."

The BBC has contacted Navigator Terminals for a response.