34 replies to this topic

[tomspar]

Greenpeace had some rather clever popup banner ads on the podium at spa. Retractable car antennas popped up their message when a remote control signaled the unit.

 

Maybe I am crazy (I am American) but that could have been a bomb. Where is F1 security? I would think the podium would be a well-secured area.

 

If this stunt was that easy, you would think groups more ruthless than greenpeace might give it a try?

[Deluxx]

I did find it pretty ridiculous, but maybe it is because I live over here in the overbearingness of the USA as well.

[TooTroublesome]

I saw the video on Facebook, it made me laugh at first but then I read the hundreds of hate comments underneath it saying Bernie and F1 are practically destroying the world.
Christ, it made me so annoyed, the amount F1 does for the automotive industry over the past 30 odd years with competitive research which has directly improved fuel efficiency and road safety. Football does worse, the number of games per week and thousands of fans travelling to games... Just because you don't 'see' fuel being burnt off during a match it gets no hate.

[KWSN - DSM]

The security angst all over the world is making The Big Brother society a certified fact every day.

 

[Fastcake]

Half the crowd have banners, you hardly strip search people going to watch a motor race.

[KWSN - DSM]

Half the crowd have banners, you hardly strip search people going to watch a motor race.

 

Try being female and going to see a NFL game in the US now. No purses allowed.

 

[tomspar]

"The security angst all over the world is making The Big Brother society a certified fact every day"

 

"Half the crowd have banners, you hardly strip search people going to watch a motor race."

 

Agreed

 

This was a mechanism box, clearly visible if looked for, rigged in front of the podium in a non-public area. Probably was left there a while. I think Barney Fife (keystone cop) should have seen it. Instead of searching every patron, they ought to at least look at the obvious high risk places.

[bourbon]

What GreenPeace needs to realize is that motorsports contribution to non-green applications is the least of their problems.  They need to hang off freeways in california and around the world to protest the real problem.  Big cities with wall to wall traffic should be forced to build eco-skyways so that driving is back to long trips for leisure or business.  Day to day smog chugging is the problem, not motorsports.

 

I suppose they are just trying to get visibility - but unfortunately, people will completely miss the point and figure stopping world motorsports will solve the problem.

[scheivlak]

What GreenPeace needs to realize is that motorsports contribution to non-green applications is the least of their problems.  They need to hang off freeways in california and around the world to protest the real problem.  Big cities with wall to wall traffic should be forced to build eco-skyways so that driving is back to long trips for leisure or business.  Day to day smog chugging is the problem, not motorsports.

 

I suppose they are just trying to get visibility - but unfortunately, people will completely miss the point and figure stopping world motorsports will solve the problem.

They weren't protesting motorsport or the GP itself.

.

They were protesting oil drilling in the Arctic by Shell, the main sponsor of the Belgian GP - and made that very clear.

[oetzi]

Or maybe it's a long-term plan to show the world the benefits of F1 as described by TooTroublesome.

 

I reckon a £10 bag donation and half a pound of mung beans would have been enough to get them onside.

Edited by oetzi, 31 August 2013 - 23:45.

[tomspar]

How funny greenpeace and the "big brother society" are alike in one way: They want to solve real problems but attack/surveil the wrong targets....

 

personally: fuel wasted in motorsports < advancement in automotive engineering from motorsports. been true for 100 years...

[03011969]

Half the crowd have banners, you hardly strip search people going to watch a motor race.

I  think the point isn't about walking into the circuit with a banner, but how about unauthorised persons were able to get onto the podium and to set these up, and for that to go unnoticed. It does raise a legitimate security question.

[bushgold]

someone should notify them that in japan http://www.zerohedge...s-18-sievertshr

 

 

[HPT]

Some of you guys have completely missed the point. Greenpeace aren't protesting motorports or F1. They are protesting Shell's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic. An oil spill - which is an ever-present danger in drilling and transporting oil - could lead to disastrous consequences. I'm inclined to agree with them. Check this out:

 

"The closest example we have seen of the effects of an oil spill in these Northern extremes is theExxon Valdez tanker spill in Alaska. Two decades later, the region is still suffering the after-effects, with local populations of otters being severely harmed , orcas yet to recover and spilled oil remaining in areas on land. The impact of a blow-out on the Arctic seabed could be far more significant for the waters of the High North."

 

Taken from: http://www.greenpeac...-of-Arctic-oil/

[DutchQuicksilver]

I  think the point isn't about walking into the circuit with a banner, but how about unauthorised persons were able to get onto the podium and to set these up, and for that to go unnoticed. It does raise a legitimate security question.

 

But those Greenpeace activists snuck those remote units in a few weeks before the Belgium GP, at least that's what they said in their video. Security isn't tight weeks before the F1 race.

[Raifosa]

Some of you guys have completely missed the point. Greenpeace aren't protesting motorports or F1. They are protesting Shell's plans to drill for oil in the Arctic. An oil spill - which is an ever-present danger in drilling and transporting oil - could lead to disastrous consequences. I'm inclined to agree with them. Check this out:

 

"The closest example we have seen of the effects of an oil spill in these Northern extremes is theExxon Valdez tanker spill in Alaska. Two decades later, the region is still suffering the after-effects, with local populations of otters being severely harmed , orcas yet to recover and spilled oil remaining in areas on land. The impact of a blow-out on the Arctic seabed could be far more significant for the waters of the High North."

 

Taken from: http://www.greenpeac...-of-Arctic-oil/

also: http://www.greenpeac...-sport-20130825

[HPT]

also: http://www.greenpeac...-sport-20130825

 

Good to know there are motorsports fans among environmentalists too. Some of the comments in the comments section really makes me cringe. It's ok if they don't agree with Greenpeace's method of protest (it's hard for me to imagine why anyone would not want to save the Arctic, but that's just me) but to wish they had fallen off their paragliders and other such wicked thoughts are baffling. 

[muramasa]

After 311 earthquake that devastated Japan in 2011, Greenpeace came to Japan (and/or greenpeace japan itself) to mess around. They monitor radiation level and say government's monitoring posts arent accurate, without understanding what monitoring posts are for in the first place.

 

Also they monitored radioactive level in fishes, by not so accurate and appropriate measures, and without making it clear key things like what eating xx bq/kg means to your body, whether or not the fishes are on the market, etc, they made further mess.

 

Their aim is just question everything public sectors have done, never send out accurate and balanced info, yet pretending they are objective. What they did here was only to make people who are confused and worried already even more confused and worry. I find their conduct after 311 earthquake (related to nuclear accident), as well as people, esp journos who naively believed and supported them and helped spread their words, unforgivable to say the least.

 

They just come when and where they can advertise themselves effectively. In Japan there're many local activities to protect and preserve local nature systems but I never see their names. It's mostly local people's effort aided by university study, NGO etc (+pseudo science and frauds like EM, unfortunately).

 

Those environmental groups in general were relevant and respectable up until 80s but, altho I wouldnt disregard everything they appeal of course (sure i tend to agree with concern regarding Arctic drilling this time), generally I consider them hardly trustworthy now, and there're good enough reasons.

[KWSN - DSM]

I am all for doing what we can to pollute the environment as little as possible, anyone thinking that human existence is a zero sum game is mistaken. Greenpeace have developed from a group of concerned citizens to a politicized and politicizing organization, who is no longer volunteers but paid workers, hired to do what they do and not doing it from belief.

 

If safer oil, coal and other fossil excavation can be made safer I am all for it, if that mean I need to pay 3 times as much to tank the car so be it. Worldwide the cleanest energy source is nuclear power, coal fired power plants the least. What is needed is political will, which there is little of.

 

Marking some countries as being the polluters and some as the polluter is senseless, the various Global meetings have achieved nothing.

 

Global warming started about 10.000 years ago at the end of the last Ice age, not the last 200 years. Can we do better? Yes absolutely, but the shrinking of the ice cap and glaciers will not stop. Greenpeace and organizations should battle the winnable battles, and not tilt at companies and political parties on dogmatic differences.

 

[spacekid]

So many things are encompossed by this. My thoughts are;

 

i) I disagree with drilling in the artic, and do not approve. We need to move away from this energy model.

 

ii) That said - I find Greenpeace highly annoying. Rather like Julian Assange, they may ultimately have a good message to put across, but I feel there is a lot of egotism in their actions, which I find off-putting. I think that confusing the issue of Shell/drilling/the eco impact of motorsports is giving a confused message. I'm not sure what they wanted to achieve here except cause 'disruption' at something they 'don't like'.

 

iii) Of course it isn't reasonable to have a detailed search of all fans on the day. But missing a large-ish device like that on the podium is a different matter, and slightly worrying from a security point of view.

[aditya-now]

Greenpeace had some rather clever popup banner ads on the podium at spa. Retractable car antennas popped up their message when a remote control signaled the unit.

 

Maybe I am crazy (I am American) but that could have been a bomb. Where is F1 security? I would think the podium would be a well-secured area.

 

If this stunt was that easy, you would think groups more ruthless than greenpeace might give it a try?

 

Indeed, they could as well have blown up the podium. Unfortunately now the idea is out and they will have to search all areas of an F1 race henceforth to avoid the risk. Because any group with an agenda could come up with something and use the PR of an F1 race for their purposes - could not have better reach,,,,

[westy88]

Did anyone notice the Greenpeace hijack of the Belgian Grand Prix review in the mag? Very surreal!

[Lee Nicolle]

also: http://www.greenpeac...-sport-20130825

While I often have sympathy for Greenpeace causes and Arctic oil drilling is quite risky the fact is a earthquake or volcanoe could happen and do far more ecological damage.
That is not to say the very real damage of Exxon Valdez is not a major problem.
Or the Gulf of Mexico.
Or Texas, Or the Gulf ware where the Iraquis supposedly sabotaged both their own and neighbouring countries oil infrastructure and crude ran into the Gulf for months,,, which has never raised more than the occasional mention from the Green types.
The amount of oil, refined and unrefined from sunken ships during wars is far greater than any civil disaster

[Buttoneer]

The Greenpeace action has resulted in people starting a thread and discussing their message on a buletin board deicated to motorsports.  I would say mission accomplished.

 

What they did was smart, inoffensive, created very little disruption and was not even anti-motorsport.  It was a simple message, brilliantly delivered.

 

Whether you think Greenpeace should be doing more, less, or different, surely we can all agree that Shell should be doing everything possible to make sure that there is never an oil spill in the arctic, which is the most fragile of ecosystems?  If F1 is a big valuable billboard for Shell it serves well as a billboard for Greenpeace.

[spacekid]

The Greenpeace action has resulted in people starting a thread and discussing their message on a buletin board deicated to motorsports.  I would say mission accomplished.

 

What they did was smart, inoffensive, created very little disruption and was not even anti-motorsport.  It was a simple message, brilliantly delivered.

 

Whether you think Greenpeace should be doing more, less, or different, surely we can all agree that Shell should be doing everything possible to make sure that there is never an oil spill in the arctic, which is the most fragile of ecosystems?  If F1 is a big valuable billboard for Shell it serves well as a billboard for Greenpeace.

 

Except that a lot of people in the crowd were boo-ing Greenpeace. I do agree with their point about drilling in the Arctic, but still feel their 'look at me' tactics can generate antipathy towards their cause as much as generate support.

[BullHead]

I think they were aiming at the global press coverage rather than the fans at the track.

[HP]

I  think the point isn't about walking into the circuit with a banner, but how about unauthorised persons were able to get onto the podium and to set these up, and for that to go unnoticed. It does raise a legitimate security question.

You think in their official version Greenpace would tell us if they had a mole somewhere in the organisation of the Spa F1 event? Would the mole tell us, or even the event organizers if there had something happening like this. Shell's main office is registered probably nearest to this track. It is in Den Haag Netherlands.There are a few things that do raise an eyebrow or two.

 

In any case I do share some of Greenpeace concerns, but I totally reject their methods. I also am not inclined to take their PR without asking questions. If an organisation is doing illegal stuff it's a bit diffcult for me to take everthing they say at face value.

[Buttoneer]

Except that a lot of people in the crowd were boo-ing Greenpeace. I do agree with their point about drilling in the Arctic, but still feel their 'look at me' tactics can generate antipathy towards their cause as much as generate support.

You sure they were not booing the guy taking them down?  The timing of that second banner was comedy classic.

 

It was such an unobtrusive little demonstration that I can't get my head around why anyone would be upset.  It's not like they went all Fr Neil Horan did they?

[Ross Stonefeld]

Yeah normally Greenpeace would bother me but in this case I think they were straight on. Though maybe they could have been more effective in getting the message on TV. Their requests weren't too outlandish and Shell just spent 90 minutes advertising to 50million+ people so saying "yeah but what about your environmental record" isn't the most off-topic thing.

[BullHead]

You sure they were not booing the guy taking them down?  The timing of that second banner was comedy classic.

 

 

 

Good point actually. It's not so straightforward to tell. I did see a worrying image of one of the security officials using a knife to threaten cutting the ropes of a protestor still hanging from the roof.

[johnmhinds]

This incident on the grid was more of a worry for me.

 

 

How were half a dozen people allowed into the circuit with climbing gear like that?

 

And then how were they not spotted climbing up onto the grandstand roof?

Edited by johnmhinds, 05 September 2013 - 06:23.

[Rob29]

This incident on the grid was more of a worry for me.

 

 

How were half a dozen people allowed into the circuit with climbing gear like that?

 

And then how were they not spotted climbing up onto the grandstand roof?

According to the Sky TV coverage they decended by parachute  I used to be a member of  Greenpeace but  resigned after a previous attack on motorsport-I remember a programe about a proposal to revive the Birmingham Super Prix when a greenpeace person appeared to object!

[HP]

According to the Sky TV coverage they decended by parachute  I used to be a member of  Greenpeace but  resigned after a previous attack on motorsport-I remember a programe about a proposal to revive the Birmingham Super Prix when a greenpeace person appeared to object!

Did they use an eco friendly transport to be parachuted? Anyway.

 

What happens if the medical helicopter has to get involved for some reason on track, and some guys are parachuting in his way? Maybe a bit far fetched, but IMO the organisation of this stunt doesn't impress me at all.

[biercemountain]

I think they were aiming at the global press coverage rather than the fans at the track.

 

Ding, ding, ding. We have a winner!

[westy88]

They paragliders didn't look to land on the circuit and were chased off by the Belgian Police helicopter. They were probably a distraction, as while all that was going on the other Greenpeace protesters were scaling up one of the big concrete pillars of the main grandstand with the assistance of quite a lot of climbing equipment.

 

I was in the crowd on the grid for the podium presentation and the crowd were definitely booing the Greenpeace protesters that were on the roof above the podium.