WATCH: Shell Shareholder Meeting Thrown Into Chaos by Climate Activists

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FH3_zWvOkU

Shell’s annual meeting with shareholders in London was thrown into pandemonium when dozens of protesters stormed the conference to rail against the oil and gas company.

Shell’s general meeting for 2023 took place at the ExCeL Centre in East London — their first since appointing Wael Sawan as their new CEO in January. As the meeting tried to get underway, security had to intercept swarms of climate activists who approached the stage while others blasted the company.

Fights broke out as the security staff removed protesters while shielding Sawan and Shell chair Andrew Mackenzie from those who tried to get on the stage. The meeting was interrupted at multiple points throughout the hour, with one group of protesters chanting “Go to Hell, Shell” to the tune of the song “Hit the Road Jack.”

The incident marks the latest in recent public scenes caused by protesters denouncing inaction over climate change and global warming. Joanna Warrington of Fossil Free London took credit on the organization’s behalf for the disruption.

“Shell is setting our house on fire to fuel their own obscene profits,” she said to EuroNews. “We have to shut them down.”

The Guardian notes that the protest against Shell’s fossil fuel production comes as the board was about to face questions from shareholders about their current pace for cutting carbon emissions and switching to renewable energy. This coincided with the company asking shareholders to vote against a climate resolution on the basis that Shell’s competition would capitalize on the move.

Shell addressed the protests in a statement to The Guardian, saying “We respect people’s right to express their point of view and welcome any constructive engagement on our strategy and the energy transition. However, yet again protesters have shown that they are not interested in constructive engagement.”

Watch above via Guardian News.