police used stop and search powers on almost anyone that moved around the royal festival hall today in an intimidatory operation to protect the BP AGM from protestors angry at the company's involvement in profiting from the iraq war; increasing carbon dioxide emissions; construction of a very controversial pipeline in Georgia; oil and construction projects in countries with terrible human rights records like west papua, colombia, and angola; ecologically disastrous developments in alaska, russia and the uk; and finally, while their boss lord browne pocketed £5m salary, their record on union rights, health and safety, and wages.

despite small numbers, the protest kept up a constant level of noise with a sound system providing activist songs between live acts and speakers, as well as some rousing samba from the rhythms of resistance band.

as well as the unwarranted and unreasonable searches, police created arbitrary and moving zones of exclusion for protestors, claiming their right to do so under section14, but failing to produce any map as required to show the areas concerned. they also used invasory surveillance, photographing every protestor there from every angle as well as videoing.

meanwhile, the real criminals were allowed to continue with impunity despite their 'threatening behaviour liable to cause alarm and distress' by meeting inside the festival hall to hear how much money they'd made out of all the destruction, oppression, and exploitation they'd supported.

in an unprecedented move the bp security barred from entry three peaceful campaigners who had travelled from Azerbaijan and Georgia despite their status as shareholders and their agreement to abide by all security arrangements.

a check with companies house this afternoon confirmed that bp had acted unlawfully, and so an official complaint will be lodged about this conduct, that companies administration will look into.

below is a transcript of a press release from various pressure groups about the incident:


PRESS RELEASE FROM:

Baku-Ceyhan Campaign
PLATFORM
Corner House
Friends of the Earth
Kurdish Human Rights Project

For immediate release 15 April 2004


BP Unprecedentedly Excludes Shareholders from Annual General Meeting



BP shareholders expressed outrage today as oil giant BP refused to allow
them to enter its Annual General Meeting (AGM).

The shareholders had come from Azerbaijan and Georgia to raise their
concerns about the hugely controversial Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline
directly with the BP Board of Directors.

But BP - in a move never seen before at a British company's AGM - refused
them entry, citing "security" concerns. This was despite the fact that the
shareholders had agreed to cooperate with security measures.

One of the shareholders, Mirvari Gahramanli, is Chair of the Committee for
Protection of Oil Workers' Rights in Azerbaijan. She has insisted that BP
immediately reinstate workers who have been sacked for complaining about
their working conditions, and stop discriminating against Azeri people.

Gahrahmanli noted, "The pipeline is being implemented in Azerbaijan without
any respect for human rights or national laws. BP must start to behave
responsibly, and compensate landowners for the land they have lost. And
they should treat Azeri workers in the same way they treat British and
American workers."

Mayis Gulaliyev, of the Monitoring Group for the Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey
Pipelines System, added, "In Azerbaijan, we are given no information and BP
ignores us - it only talks to organisations that unconditionally support the
pipeline. So we came from Azerbaijan, as shareholders in BP, to raise
our concerns about the pipeline. But here too BP has excluded us."

Mina Dadalauri, of Georgian group Green Alternatives, said, "Coming from the
situation in Georgia, where BP is preparing to build a pipeline through a
protected national park territory, I came to vote for the resolution to stop
BP from damaging the important territory. BP risks its reputation along
with our natural environment. But I was denied the chance to vote."

Greg Muttitt, of the environment group PLATFORM which is co-hosting the
shareholders, commented, "This is a completely unreasonable - and probably
illegal - move. UK company law requires companies to allow their
shareholders into an Annual General Meeting, as a key opportunity for them
to address the Board. Frankly, it makes BP look as though they have
something to hide from their own shareholders as well as the general
public."


For further information, contact:

Greg Muttitt, PLATFORM, 07970 589611
Anders Lustgarten, Baku-Ceyhan Campaign, 07973164363
Nicholas Hildyard, Corner House, 07773750534
Rochelle Harris, Kurdish Human Rights Project, 0207 2872772



from june 15 -21, pressure groups will be hosting an 'exhibition of resistance to bp and oil' alongside the bp-sponsored 'national portrait award' at the national portrait gallery. if you wish to contribute, please get in touch with london rising tide at  london@risingtide.org.uk