Five arrests after climate campaigners scale Prime Minister's North Yorkshire home
Greenpeace protesters who unfurled black banners over Rishi Sunak's house in North Yorkshire have been criticised by top Government ministers
Last updated 3rd Aug 2023
Four people have been arrested after climate campaigners scaled the Prime Minister's home in North Yorkshire.
The four campaigners draped the Prime Minister's grade II listed manor house in North Yorkshire with an oil-black fabric to "drive home the dangerous consequences" on Thursday morning.
The group returned to the ground at about 1.15pm and were being spoken to by officers before being loaded into the back of police vans.
North Yorkshire Police later confirmed four arrests, with a fifth person arrested a short time later.
"A man has been arrested on suspicion of causing public nuisance. He currently remains in police custody. "
The activists have been slammed by Government ministers, including deputy PM Oliver Dowden, who called on protesters to "stop the stupid stunts".
Speaking on a visit to Able Seaton Port in Hartlepool, he said: ""I think what most people would say is 'can you stop the stupid stunts', actually what they want to see from Government is action.
"That's what you're seeing here today, the world's largest offshore wind farm being built right here, creating jobs.
"But at the same time we're going to need in the coming decades oil and gas as part of our energy mix."
Senior Tories Alicia Kearns and Sir Robert Goodwill also hit out, with the latter telling Greatest Hits Radio the demonstration was "outrageous".
The climate group defended the action however, claiming they "knew the PM wasn't in" and "knew how to get up safely".
Protester Alex Wilson, who lives in Newcastle with her partner, who was also on the roof, released a video message from on the roof of Mr Sunak's house.
"We're all here because Rishi Sunak has opened the door to a new drilling frenzy in the North Sea while large parts of our world are literally on fire. This will be a disaster for the climate," the climber, originally from East Yorkshire, said.
On the ground, Greenpeace UK climate campaigner Philip Evans defended the action at the Prime Minister's family home.
“Our activists have come down, having delivered their message to the Prime Minister who’s holidaying 5,000 miles away.
"It’s time for Sunak to decide which side he is on - Big Oil’s profits or our future on a habitable planet?
“Our action today was entirely peaceful and we were diligent in ensuring that no one was home and that no damage would be done to the property.
"We have cooperated fully with the police and the activists have been taken into custody."
Protesters were on the roof of the PM's ÂŁ2 million mansion near Northallerton for around five hours before coming down.
They unfurled banners reading "no new oil" and "Rishi Sunak- oil profits or our future?".