Climate Camp day of action – as it happened

7.34am:

Hundreds of Climate Camp activists have occupied land at the Royal Bank of Scotland's headquarters in Edinburgh, in protest at its multi-billion pound loans to the oil and mining industries.

At least 500 activists are expected to be at the site for the so-called 'day of direct action' against the bank, who they say has leant money to oil giants involved in exploring highly-polluting tar sands in Canada.

Tar sands are a mixture of sand, water, clay and bitumen, which can be processed into synthetic crude oil at great cost to the environment. It takes up to four barrels of water to produce just one barrel of tar sands crude. Producing a barrel of tar sands oil releases three times more carbon than conventional oil.

Little is known about what the campers have planned, beyond the vague aim stated on their website of "shutting down RBS in Edinburgh and targeting the fossil fuel industry".

Are you at the camp or spotted something interesting? Message me on Twitter @adamgabbatt with your links, photos or video, and follow the the latest news from our team on the ground in Scotland here.

8.06am:

The Guardian's new Edinburgh beatblogger Michael MacLeod is tweeting from the scene (@GdnEdinburgh):

Massive police presence around RBS HQ. They're also on the roof. No vehicle access including local Lothian Bus service #climatecamp

Here's the Guardian Edinburgh site, which Michael will be updating.

8.17am:

There is some discussion as to whether RBS is actually a legitimate target for the ire of those involved in Climate Camp.

Severin Carrell, the Guardian's Scotland correspondent, addressed this in a piece last week.

RBS officials have offered to meet the Climate Camp organisers but flatly reject the environmental movement's demands to completely sell off its oil industry investments. They insist their loans are rarely given directly for tar sands projects but were often simple cash loans to companies involved in Canadian tar sands exploration.

They also accused the protesters of ignoring RBS's record on renewable energy investments: in 2006 the bank was the world's largest single financier of wind and green energy.

But its executives said renewable energy was still unable to replace fossil fuels, while the collapse of the UN climate talks process meant there was no global carbon trading scheme able to support investments in renewables.

. . .

In a statement, RBS said: "As a major international bank we provide support for businesses working across many industries and reflect the make up of society and the economy.

"Just as society as a whole has to make a transition to renewable energy sources so will banks like RBS. In fact in recent years RBS has been one of the most active banks in the world in providing funding for renewable energy projects so we are at the forefront of helping finance the transition. While we understand the protesters' intent and publicity tactic, we clearly cannot agree with their decision to target RBS."

Sev is in Edinburgh today and will be tweeting regularly @severincarrell

8.36am:

One of the activists in Edinburgh, Amelia Gregory, has been posting videos to Daily motion since Climate Camp set up on Wednesday.

This one (it looks grainy but clears up once you press play) shows campaigners taking over the RBS sponsored stage at the Edinburgh fringe to perform an alternative version of Lady Gaga's number 1 smash hit Poker Face. They've got a dance routine and everything, bless 'em.

I can't make out all the lyrics exactly, but the verse seems to be:

"Oil, oh oil, oil, oil,
Oil, oh oil, oil, oil,
Oil, oh oil, oil, oil."

Timeless.

8.45am:

The Guardian's Edinburgh beatblogger Michael MacLeod is at the RBS building, where he says staff have been warned not to come into work.

Climate Camp say there will be action at the main RBS site plus a number of undisclosed locations around the city centre (they say they have not decided where yet). There does seem to be a firm plan to target the RBS offices and branch at the Gyle though which is in the west of the city.

The main RBS site has a massive police presence. I can see 20 vans out in the open (without looking down side streets) and 5 police on the roof of the building. There are hardly any RBS staff around. All have been told to work from home or take the day off. One climate camper said he saw this as "a victory in itself".

The camp itself has around 200 tents. Climate say there are 1000 protestors, but I would estimate there are fewer than half that. This morning there is not much activity at the camp. It is raining and people are still emerging from their tents. There are a small number of people packing up and leaving.

Mike will be tweeting @GdnEdinburgh throughout today.

9.05am:

@GdnEdinburgh: Hearing 7 activists at the RBS Young building at the Gyle have glued themselves to each other in the executive carpark #climatecamp

Severin Carrell is on his way to the Gyle, we'll have more information soon.

Not everyone is convinced the Climate Camp action will have much of an impact, as a quick read of the comments below shows.

Following the #climatecamp tag on Twitter reveals a similar theme, with @OldHoborn – who appears to be sporadically posing as one of the campers – particularly sceptical about some of the activists' commitment.

there is a spider in my Yurt. I want to go home. I have already missed Holyoaks. I'm calling mum #climatecamp

#climatecamp That's it. Moonbeam Falafal has just reminded me of the Blair Witch Project. I WANT TO GO HOME

9.14am:

9.38am:

Last week Environment Guardian had a guest post by Kenny Bruno, from Corporate Ethics International (Cei), which called for Britons to avoid travelling to the Alberta tar sands in Canada in protest against the extraction of oil.

Canadians admire Britain and care about what British people think, and that would be enough to cause us to ask you to become allies in this effort. Yet there are more British connections to the tar sands.

In the previous parliament, Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker signed an early day motion criticising the tar sands, but the new coalition government has yet to take a stance.

Shell and BP operate tar sands mines, and are the target of serious efforts in the City to swear off tar sands. But so far, neither company has responded.

The British government, through its shares in Royal Bank of Scotland and other banks, is funding this environmental outrage.

And tomorrow activists from Climate Camp are setting up near RBS headquarters on the edge of Edinburgh to protest against its investments in tar sands and other dirty fuels.

The British people now have the opportunity to take their own stand against the tar sands travesty, by pledging not to visit Alberta.

Cei, which describes itself as an "organisation that major foundations have asked to launch campaigns to change the practices of core industries", has also produced this fairly frightening video on the sands.

10.07am:

I've received a press release from Climate Camp, which has the subject line: "DAY OF MASS ACTION BEGINS WITH CARPARK BLOCKADE AND OFFICE OCCUPATION".

The carpark blockade refers to the seven people who have glued themselves to each other, or to railings, or both, at the RBS administrative headquarters in South Gyle.

Severin Carrell has tweeted that it is soaking wet out there, so one hopes the glue isn't water soluble.

Elsewhere a group of seven activists have "taken over" (in the words of Climate Camp) the offices of Forth energy in Leith.

From the Climate Camp statement:

A group of 7 activists have just targeted the office of the headquarters of Forth Energy. Two have scaled the roof of the building and have hung banners reading 'BIO MASS HEALTH HAZARD' and 'BIO MASS = CLIMATE CHANGE'. Three are inside, and two have chained themselves to the front of the building.

The activists, part of the Climate Camp outside of RBS headquarters in Edinburgh, are targeting Forth Energy because of their plans to build four environmentally destructive biomass (wood-burning) energy power stations in Scotland. The office takeover began at 8 am this morning.

Severin Carrell, having just been to Gyle, is now on his way to Leith, so we'll be able to verify the 'office occupation' shortly.

10.25am:

Update from Severin Carrell, who's been down to the RBS building this morning:

Seven climate activists superglued their hands to each other, despite constant rain, to blockade the entrance to the executive car park at a major RBS administration building at the nearby Edinburgh Park business park in South Gyle.

Their small action, timed to coincide with rush-hour, led to gridlock on access roads as commuters drove in for work from the Edinburgh bypass and A8 dual carriageway, as police closed down the road outside the building, famous for its vast bronze sculpture by Eduardo Paolozzi at its entrance.

One furious motorist shouted out "bastards" as she drove past. One of the protesters said they were "disgruntled" at RBS's continued investments in fossil fuel industries.

Meanwhile, another small group of activists have occupied the offices of Forth Energy in Leith docks in Edinburgh, diverting attention from the bank's corporate headquarters where 500 climate camp protesters have occupied a large area of the landscaped grounds inside the headquarters perimeter fence.

Two campaigners scaled the roof of Forth Energy draping banners saying 'BIO MASS HEALTH HAZARD' and 'BIO MASS = CLIMATE CHANGE', while two have chained themselves to the front of the building in protest at the company's plans for a major biomass-fueled power station at Leith docks and other ports in Scotland. Three more activists are inside the building.

They claim Forth Energy is "misleadingly pushing biomass as a solution to climate change. In reality these power stations will increase carbon emissions, pollute local air, increase deforestation and lead to the displacement of native peoples in the global south.

"Wood burned in the proposed Leith, Grangemouth, Rosyth Port and Dundee Port sites will be fed primarily from wood chip freighted in from abroad."

At RBS headquarters at Gogarburn, which sits on the A8 dual carriageway to Edinburgh airport, police have "locked down" all the access roads and closed the RBS bridge leading over the A8 into the RBS campus.

Activists are now believed to poised to stage other protests in central Edinburgh during today, potentially targeting Edinburgh festival events sponsored by RBS, including the book festival, Fringe and international festival events.

.

10.38am:

I'm trying to map out the various actions taken by Climate Camp protesters. Here's what I'm aware of so far. If I've missed something please let me know on Twitter @adamgabbatt

11.04am:

My colleague Kirsty Scott is tweeting from the offices of Cairn Energy in central Edinburgh, where Climate Camp have created an 'oil spill' using a two metre long piggy bank...

Large pink' RBS' pig on steps of Clydedale Bank Plaza on Lothian Rd. Black treacle sprayed over walls from fire extinguishers. #climatecamp

Building houses Cairn Energy and Clydesdale Bank among others. Security guard says it was a quick job by black clad group of 8. #climatecamp

Pig is proving an attraction for passers by. Strong smell of treacle. Extinguishers left on steps. #climatecamp

More from Kirsty soon. Here's Climate Camp's take on the stunt:

Activists carried a two metre long piggy bank branded with the RBS logo filled with 60 litres of an oil like substance towards Cairn Energy's offices.

Triggered by a golden coin representing the public money used to bail out the bank, the RBS 'piggy bank' unleashed its contents, believed to be molasses, covering the entrances and the street.

They say Cairn Energy has received £117 million of loans and equity last year from RBS, almost half of which has been used to begin drilling off the coast of Greenland.

Here's a little video of the pig protest, courtesy of Amelia Gregory.

11.25am:

A little recap of what's happened so far today.

There have been a series of protests in and around Edinburgh. The events have been on a smaller scale than expected, mostly carried out by groups of seven or eight people.
In Leith seven activists have occupied the offices of Forth Energy. Two people are on the roof, three are inside while two more have chained themselves to the front of the building.
Seven people have glued themselves to the car park of RBS's adminstrative headquarters at South Gyle business park. The action has led to gridlock on the access roads and has led to police closing down the road to RBS.
Eight campaigners have carried a two-metre-long 'piggy bank' to the offices of Cairn Energy in central Edinburgh. The pig contained an "oil-like substance" – believed to be treacle – which the activists have leaked over the entrance to the building.

11.35am:

My colleague Kirsty Scott reports from Edinburgh, where she's witnessed the aftermath of the 'treacle pig' stunt.

Just after 9am a team of protesters arrived at the offices of Cairn Energy in Lothian Road carrying a 2m long pink piggy bank with an RBS logo. The pig was deposited on the steps and 60 litres of molasses, to represent oil was spilled or sprayed on the building.

"It was a very quick job, " said a security guard at the Clydesdale Bank Plaza building where Cairn is based.

He said the action was carried put by two teams of black clad protesters.

Activist later said the 'oil spill' had been staged to protest at Cairn Energy because it used public money from RBS to help it start selling for oil off the coast of Greenland last month.

The protesters claim Cairn received £117m of loans and equity last year from RBS, almost half of which enabled drilling off Greenland.

In a statement, one of the activists involved in the stunt, Alex Wilson, said: "Risky drilling in the Arctic by Cairn Energy has only been made possible by financial involvement by RBS. This is an outrageous use of over a hundred million pounds of public money given the economic and climate crises that we are facing."

No one was immediately available from Cairn to comment.

11.49am:

My colleague Paul Lewis was heavily involved in the coverage of the G20 protests last year. He writes:

I'm in London, but colleagues at the camp claim police are impeding journalists from covering the demonstration.

Marc Vallee, an experienced photographer that has covered every climate camp (and most other big protests) over the last decade, says journalists have been penned into a car park from where they cannot view the camp and, therefore, any impending confrontation with police. (He thinks it is likely, and soon.)

The accountability provided by having independent journalists in the area is obvious; yesterday, Vallee and another photographer, Jonathan Warren, were the only two accredited journalists to witness activists smashing windows and being arrested.

Reporters provide a record of possible wrongdoing on both sides. Vallee says the RBS press team are "trying very hard" to allow journalists in, and police minders are the impediment. It seems they are offering a brief "tour" of the camp, but for the remainder of the the time what happens in the camp will occur beyond the view of reporters (though not tweeting activists).

12.00pm:

Severin Carrell writes that some of the activists found themselves unwelcome when disrupting an event at the Edinburgh book festival yesterday:

Four climate protesters disrupted a talk at the festival by the Nobel prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, a noted critic of globalisation and modern banking, only to be barracked by the audience with cries of "out, out, out".

The festival's chief sponsor is RBS, a bank the climate camp estimates has ploughed £13bn into fossil fuel firms since its bail-out in 2008, making it a major target for this year's climate camp. It is braced for further protests today.

All the city's major banks, RBS, Bank of Scotland and its parent company Lloyds TSB, are major sponsors of festival events. A festival spokeswoman said they were bemused by yesterday's action:

"The protesters had obviously done a lot of research, targeting the one major economist who speaks out against the banks."

Andrew Simms, one of the authors taking part in the book festival, from the New Economics Foundation, which has co-funded highly critical reports on RBS's conduct, was highly critical of the funding deal.

"Sponsorship of the arts by businesses that also fund environmental destruction creates a smokescreen," he said. "It makes the malign seem normal and acceptable. Dependence on such funding forces the arts into complicity with behaviour it would otherwise condemn."

12.17pm:

@severincarrell Police accuse #climatecamp activists of "extremely reckless" act after diesel or veg oil allegedly poured on A720 bypass & A8; tensions rise

More from Sev on this soon.

12.27pm:

Lothian and Borders police say the two roads which had oil poured on them in west Edinburgh have now been cleaned, but have condemned the "extremely reckless and dangerous act". Police say it marks a "disturbing escalation" in protesters activities.

They say the substance was "similar to diesel or vegetable oil", and was poured onto the A720 and west bound A8. Traffic is now resuming as normal.

A police spokesman said: "This is an extremely reckless and dangerous act which could put many members of the public at risk.

"It is a worrying trend and disturbing escalation in the activities of the protestors.

"While the Force facilitates peaceful protest, public disorder, damage to property or any other criminal acts will not be tolerated.

"It is obvious that the activists have change their emphasis and we have considerable resources in place to respond in a proportionate and responsible manner.

"A significant amount of planning had been put in place for the Climate Camp so that the Force was prepared for every eventuality and additional resources were sent to the RBS site today to support the policing operation there."

We'll have a response from Climate Camp shortly.

12.41pm:

There's confusion over the alleged pouring of oil onto two a-roads, according to Severin Carrell.

Police originally said buses had to be diverted due to the oil, which they said was either vegetable or diesel, but now they've retracted that.

Tensions over the climate camp protests around Edinburgh have intensified after the police accused the campaigners of an "extremely reckless and dangerous" act by allegedly pouring diesel or vegetable oil on two major roads near the RBS headquarters.

Lothian and Borders police first claimed that had forced Lothian Buses to "remove its vehicles from the roads" - an allegation they retracted 15 minutes later as untrue.
They said the substance was soon removed, allowing traffic to move normally.

A climate camp spokeswoman was surprised its activists were to blame, and said molasses was the liquid most frequently used by the protesters. She said she would look into the police allegations.

"I have absolutely no knowledge of that, but our actions aren't planned with reckless endangerment or any endangerment of the public in mind," she said. "That's not something we have any information about."

The police said it had so far arrested and charged seven people since Friday: two women and a man detained during yesterday's mass action by 150 protesters at the main RBS office block, who have since been released; one woman arrested on Friday who is due to appear at Edinburgh sheriff court today, facing charges of breach of the peace; and two other women still under detention.

In the last hour, at least five protesters who occupied the Forth Energy building in Leith are believed to have been arrested.

With three people detained when the climate campers first occupied the RBS headquarters grounds, there are 10 confirmed arrests.

12.52pm:

The Guardian's Edinburgh beatblogger, Michael MacLeod, says police are now confirming eight people have been arrested today.

GdnEdinburgh: Police just confirmed 8 arrests so far today. No roads are closed. City appears to be dealing well with flashmob style demos #climatecamp

Lothian and Borders police say five people were arrested at the Port of Leith (the scene of the Forth Energy protest), with three arrests in Nicholson Street (believed to be at the RBS building where activists superglued themselves to an internal door).

13.02pm:

On Twitter @71notout points out that perhaps it would have been easier to distinguish Climate Camp activists if they weren't protesting during August...

A bunch of wierd looking folk making lots of noise in Edinburgh City Centre - how do we separate #climatecamp from #edfringe ?

1.17pm:

Here's a snap from the protest outside the energy of Forth Energy in Leith docks, where activists apparently occupied the building before chaining themselves outside.
The event looks pretty small scale from the snaps I've seen so far.
Five people have been arrested in Leith, but it's uncertain whether these are the people who have been detained.
There's more photos from the demonstration – mostly showing the activists looking very wet and miserable – on calvinsimages' photostream on Flickr.

1.37pm:

Severin Carrell has more on RBS employees being told not to come into work. He also says RBS has released new figures which it says show only a small percentage of its total lending has been to the energy sector.

RBS has confirmed that the vast majority of its 3,300 executives and employees based at its £335m Gogarburn headquarters have been told to work from home or other offices today, leaving a skeleton staff at its HQ. Its workers' crèche and leisure complex there have also been closed.

The company said six windows at Gogarburn were broken in yesterday's demo by about 150 protesters, allegedly using golf balls fired from catapults and with mallets or hammers.
RBS has attempted to counter the hostile publicity by releasing new figures about its lending, after protesters said this weekend it had lent £13bn to "dirty" oil and gas industry firms since its taxpayer-funded bail-out.

RBS said only 5% of its total lending recently went on the energy sector – similar in size to the energy industry's share of the overall economy, compared to £35bn lent to small businesses in the UK.

It accuses the protesters of deliberately ignoring its significant role in supplying direct funding of specific renewable energy projects. It said 40% of its energy funding went to electricity companies, with half of that spending on renewables schemes, however the climate camp activists claim this stance is disingenuous, as the fossil fuels investments dwarf any "green power" output.

"Since January 2006, we have lent more money directly to wind power projects than to any other type of energy project and have been the leading UK financier of this sector over the last 10 years," RBS said.

"We are one of the biggest lenders in the UK to renewable projects. Between 2004 and 2008 RBS lent more to renewable power projects than any other commercial bank globally."

1.50pm:

Climate camp activists have staged a series of small protests in and around Edinburgh, which have resulted in several arrests. Police have criticised some activists as "extremely reckless", after oil was allegedly poured onto two main roads west of the city.
Eight people have been arrested so far today, according to Lothian and Borders police. Five people were arrested at the Port of Leith, with three arrests in Nicholson Street.
The protests have included the the positioning of an oil-haemorraging pig outside the offices of Cairn Energy. Activists have also used glue to bind themselves together outside RBS headquarters.
RBS has defended the loans it has made to the energy sector. The bank said the lending accounts for less than 5% of the loans it provides. It said 40% of its energy funding went to electricity companies, with half of that spending on renewables schemes.

2.28 pm

James Randerson has taken over from Adam Gabbatt

My colleague Kirsty Scott has some more details on the small protest at the RBS Nicholson Street branch:

Three protestors entered the RBS branch in Nicholson Street and super-glued themselves to an interior door. A small group of their fellow protesters gathered outside with a selection of musical instruments. One lone protester danced on a nearby traffic island.

Annette, a protester from France, and a special needs teacher, handed out leaflets to bemused passers-by.

"We're not trying to antagonise anyone or stop them doing their business," she said. "We're just trying to raise awareness and maybe get things to change. To get the RBS to stop funding climate change. It's a musical protest to get people to ask questions."

She said some passers by had promised to visit the climate camp on the outskirts of the city and join in the workshops and debates on offer. "Some of our debates are not getting very far; they are going in circles because we don't have a solution," she said.

Separately, an official from Cairn Energy, targeted earlier in the day by protesters, said the firm did not fund oil exploration using borrowed money. Climate Camp had drawn a link between RBS funding of the company and such activities.

She said Cairn respected the protesters' right to voice their opinions and added that the firm had made safety their top priority in their offshore operations in Greenland.

Slightly off topic this, but Greenpeace have put out a press statement saying one of their vessels is in a stand-off in the Arctic with a Danish warship. It is there protesting against Cairn Energy, one of the firms that have come under fire from Climate Camp protesters in Edinburgh today. More from Severin Carrell:

A Danish warship has confronted a Greenpeace vessel which has sailed into Arctic waters to protest against new drilling planned by Cairn Energy, the Edinburgh-based exploration firm Cairn Energy targeted this morning by climate camp protesters, the environment group said today.

Greenpeace said its protest ship Esperanza said the Danish ship Vaedderen had warned that if it entered a 500m exclusion zone around two Cairn Energy deep sea drilling sites west of Disko Island in the Arctic, it would be boarded by commandos and the captain arrested. Cairn Energy was given almost £117m in loans and equity by RBS last year, researchers at Platform said, with half of that funding its Arctic exploration in an area known as "iceberg alley". Cairn's Edinburgh offices were the focus of a climate camp action earlier today, when protesters in black carried a "pig" dripping oil to its doorstep.

Greenpeace also claims the Danes has sent a special forces unit to the Faroe islands, it added: "It is thought the Danish equivalent to navy SEALS have now been sent to the Cairn site and campaigners this morning reported seeing three navy inflatable boats in the waters around the rig.

"The world's oil giants have been watching the $420m Cairn project with great interest. If the Edinburgh-based company strikes oil in the fragile environment west of Greenland analysts expect a new Arctic oil rush, with Exxon, Chevron and other energy giants already buying up licenses to drill in the area and making preparations to move in."

Cairn insists it has a good track record on environmental protection at its drilling sites. The firm has been approached for a comment about the Greenpeace incident. Last week it told the Sunday Herald:

"The biodiversity and environment offshore Greenland mean that Cairn has a particular responsibility to ensure its operations do not present unnecessary risk."

4.20 pm
We're winding this live blog up for the time being, but if things hot up again on the ground then we will open it up again. Look out for a news story later from Severin Carrell rounding up the day's events and the standoff in Arctic waters between a Greenpeace vessel and the Danish navy.