"Greenland Condemns Greenpeace Arctic Oil Protest"

"Greenland has condemned as illegal a protest by Greenpeace activists who scaled an oil rig in a bid to prevent a British company from drilling in Arctic waters off the North Atlantic island.

At the weekend, three activists from the environmental group's Esperanza vessel climbed into the superstructure of the Leiv Eriksson oil rig and remain hanging 20-30 meters above the water in a survival pod, Greenpeace said. Greenland police said on Monday the activists were trespassing illegally.

The activists climbed aboard the rig to stop Edinburgh-based Cairn Energy from starting drilling at its Atammik block, an area off western Greenland which Greenpeace calls "Iceberg Alley" and says should be out of bounds to drilling."

John Acher reports for Reuters May 30, 2011.