Greenpeace vs. Gazprom: Football Protest Stokes Row with Russia

[unhappycamper]

http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/greenpeace-activists-protest-with-banner-at-champions-league-game-a-925730.html



The ongoing conflict over 30 Greenpeace activists jailed in Russia for an action in the Arctic has taken a new twist. A high-profile football game in Switzerland was marred by a protest targeting Russian state-run energy giant and major soccer sponsor Gazprom.

Greenpeace vs. Gazprom: Football Protest Stokes Row with Russia
October 02, 2013 – 12:10 PM

Greenpeace activists unfurled a giant banner at a high-profile football match on Tuesday night, attacking Russian energy giant Gazprom and calling for the release of 30 jailed activists from the group.

The protest took place in the Swiss city of Basel during a game between the hometown team and German side Schalke 04 in European club football's most prestigious competition, the Champions League.

Four activists unfurled the banner from the roof of the St. Jakob Park stadium, revealing Gazprom's name, logo and the words "Don't foul the Arctic," and "#FreeTheArctic30." Their message was in reference to Arctic oil and gas drilling carried out by the state-run company -- which sponsors both Schalke and the Champions League -- as well as the arrest of 30 Greenpeace members on a Russian oil rig last month.

Spanish referee Alberto Undiano Mallenco drew up a special report because of the five-minute delay in play caused by the protest, which will be reviewed in the calm light of day, a spokesman for competition organizer UEFA said.