Tim Radford and Michael White, the Guardian, 20.06.95
By: TIM RADFORD AND MICHAEL WHITE
Published: Jun 19, 2006
In this weekly series, we look back through the Guardian’s reporting and contemporary photography at the events that changed the world
Greenpeace last night claimed its most sensational victory in 25 years of environmental campaigning, after the international petrol giant Shell was forced to abandon its decision to dump an oil rig in the Atlantic Ocean. After harassment at sea by helicopter-borne campaigners, condemnation by several governments, and the threat of a petrol station boycott that could have cut profits by pounds 5m a week, the two tugs towing the Brent Spar, Shell’s 66,000-ton rig, last night turned round 180 degrees en route from its North Sea field.
As the government accused Shell of caving in to campaigners, the company said it stood by its belief that disposal of the rig in 6,000ft of deep ocean was the best environmental option but said it had found itself in an “untenable position”.
Greenpeace was “thrilled” with the outcome. Spokesman Robert Morris said: “We are glad that Shell have finally seen sense. We hope this will finally convince people that off-shore dumping is not an option.” Lord Melchett, executive director of Greenpeace, said: “People realised this was wrong. It was immoral, it was treating the sea as a dustbin, and I am delighted Shell has responded to public opinion.”
Sweden’s environment minister, Anna Lindh, said she was delighted with Shell’s decision. “Marvellous. This shows that it’s worth protesting.”
Germany, which spearheaded the campaign to halt the sinking of the Brent Spar, congratulated itself last night on a successful drive to end all further talk of sea dumping of disused oil platforms. Angela Merkel, the German environment minister, said she was delighted by Shell’s climb-down.
But British ministers were furious. The trade and industry secretary, Michael Heseltine, accused the company of caving in to pressure from environmentalists a day after John Major had given his strong backing to the rig’s off-shore disposal. Speaking on Channel 4 News, he said Mr Major “deserved better from a major British company”.
Shell’s decision came at the end of a long battle with Greenpeace campaigners, the arrest of two helicopter pilots, and claims and counterclaims about the polluting possibilities of Brent Spar, the first of more than 40 such structures in the North Sea that will have to be disposed of.
Greenpeace campaigners clash with Shell workers to stop the Brent Spar oil rig being dumped in the sea
This website and sisters royaldutchshellplc.com, shellnazihistory.com, royaldutchshell.website, johndonovan.website, and shellnews.net, are owned by John Donovan. There is also a Wikipedia segment.
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
