This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-41346998
The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
VW diesel car protest: Greenpeace members climb on boat | VW diesel car protest: Greenpeace members climb on boat |
(35 minutes later) | |
Environmental protesters have climbed on to a ship at a Kent port transporting diesel cars from Germany. | Environmental protesters have climbed on to a ship at a Kent port transporting diesel cars from Germany. |
Greenpeace said campaigners had boarded the ship at Sheerness in Kent and were preventing the unloading of the cars. | Greenpeace said campaigners had boarded the ship at Sheerness in Kent and were preventing the unloading of the cars. |
The group said it would not leave the ship until Volkswagen agreed to return the cars to Germany. | The group said it would not leave the ship until Volkswagen agreed to return the cars to Germany. |
More than 40 people are "attempting to immobilise all the VW diesel cars by removing their keys", a Greenpeace spokesman said. | More than 40 people are "attempting to immobilise all the VW diesel cars by removing their keys", a Greenpeace spokesman said. |
Kent Police said it had received reports of a protest at the Port of Sheerness at 08:52 BST and officers were at the scene. | Kent Police said it had received reports of a protest at the Port of Sheerness at 08:52 BST and officers were at the scene. |
Greenpeace said 25 volunteers had boarded the 23,000-tonne ship in the Thames Estuary and were now hanging from the 27m-high unloading doors. | |
The Greenpeace spokesman added: "Simultaneously, 41 volunteers have scaled the fences at Sheerness port in Kent - the intended destination of the ship -and gained access to the vehicle park, where several thousand VW diesel cars are awaiting distribution to suppliers." | |
Volkswagen has been contacted by the BBC but has yet to comment. | |
In September 2015 VW admitted to US regulators it had cheated on emissions tests there using software installed in as many as 11 million diesel vehicles sold worldwide - the majority of them in Europe. | |
In March the company pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud, obstruction of justice and entry of goods by false statement as part of a $4.3bn (£3.5bn) agreement with the US regulators over the scandal. |