Student activists arrested for Schlumberger protest

In opposition to the University of Cambridge’s collaboration with oilfield services provider SLB (formerly Schlumberger), activists from the Organisation of Radical Cambridge Activists and Extinction Rebellion Cambridge staged a protest on Monday 25th September.

Around ten protestors glued themselves to the delivery entrance of SLB’s research centre at the University’s West Cambridge site in the early morning.

🧵 Why have we taken direct action today to demand #SchlumbergerOut?

Early this morning, activists from ORCA and @xr_cambridge arrived at the University's West Cambridge site and "glued on" to the service entrance of the Schlumberger research centre, blocking deliveries. 1/ pic.twitter.com/bsDWPyoYFB

— ORCA (@orca_4_el) September 25, 2023

This most recent action is a continuation of earlier protests against the University’s involvement with the oil company which took place in March and June of this year. Whilst the June action took place outside of the research centre’s main entrance, this protest targeted delivery trucks attempting to enter the site.

First failed delivery at SLB!!

Reminder that we are here glued on to obstruct deliveries at the world's largest oilfield services provider ✊#SchlumbergerOut pic.twitter.com/43udCFx012

— XR Cambridge (@xr_cambridge) September 25, 2023

Police authorities were contacted at 8:15am and spoke to both protesters and site representatives before they began to remove protestors from the site just before 3pm.

Arrests begin at SLB

SLB = toxic ☠️ From Ecuador to the Niger Delta, their oily handprints are on communities and ecosystems worldwide.

We will continue to disrupt their ecocidal activities until we shut them down for good.#SchlumbergerOut pic.twitter.com/B1OabqFUmt

— XR Cambridge (@xr_cambridge) September 25, 2023

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The protest is part of Extinction Rebellion’s #SchlumbergerOut initiative, which calls on the university to cut research ties with SLB and stop renting university land to the company.

Why are we GLUED ON to SLB?

Our demands:

1. @Cambridge_Uni cut all research ties with SLB
2. Kick them off university land, no more research centre in Cambridge
3. SLB: make reparations for the harm your activities have caused to communities globally#SchlumbergerOut pic.twitter.com/evkWfUPCTX

— XR Cambridge (@xr_cambridge) September 25, 2023

Whether the protestors will be charged remains to be seen.

Feature Image Credit: LT Stockmann

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