Activists climb the Kelpies in climate change protest
The demonstrators from This Is Rigged climbed the sculptures at 5am
Last updated 24th Jul 2023
Two climate activists have been arretsted after scaling the Kelpies near Falkirk, at the end of a week of protests targeting Scotland’s fossil fuels industry.
The demonstrators from This Is Rigged climbed the 100ft steel sculptures at 5am on Sunday morning, continuing action which saw members of the group lock themselves to washing machines in Grangemouth and sit on top of a silo at Clydebank’s storage facility.
Around 12 hours later Police Scotland confirmed they had been brought down.
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 6am on Sunday23 July 2023, officers received a report of two protesters climbing The Kelpies structure in the Helix Park, Falkirk.
"Officers attended and a 23-year-old man and 22-year-old woman were safely removed.
"They have both been arrested in connection with the incident and inquiries remain ongoing."
The Helix Park later announced on Twitter that the park had reopened to the public.
Folklore-inspired protest
The protest group said they would "not be lured underwater" by the fossil fuel industry, in reference to Scottish folklore where kelpies were shape-shifting creatures that charmed young children before drowning them.
One of the climbers said: "In Scottish folklore, kelpies are water spirits which lure people to a watery grave.
"As the Scottish government continues to allow oil and gas licences to go ahead in Scotland, they're leading us to the same fate.
"The land on which The Kelpies were built will be submerged underwater by 2050. Isn't this a bit ironic?"
The pair remain on top of the 2013 sculpture and have unfurled a banner reading ‘this is rigged’.
Another protester said: "The Kelpies is a monument to the horses and the people who've worked to develop our industry and agriculture to where it is today, yet the Scottish government is now leaving our oil workers without support for a fair transition to renewables.
"This means unemployment, insecurity and exploitation for workers as well as fossil-fuelled climate collapse.
"Horses powered our past and renewables power our future. Continuing fossil fuel extraction will power nothing but our death."
This Is Rigged have vowed to shut down the Scottish fossil fuel industry entirely.
This week, police have arrested more than 30 campaigners for alleged breach of the peace and public order offences.
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