P&C National Underwriter
Burma Protestor Scales Lloyd’s Tower With A Message
written by DANIEL HAYS
Thursday June 18, 2009
A human rights advocate climbed a part of the way up the face of the 12-story Lloyd’s building in London today and affixed a banner telling the insurance market to “Leave Burma.”
The Burma Campaign UK, which opposes firms doing business with Burma, while it is ruled by a repressive military junta, identified the climber as Mike Robertson, 47, from Wareham, England.
Mr. Robertson, after he descended the building was arrested by City of London police and a police spokesperson told TheLondonPaper.com the charge was suspicion of causing a breach of the peace and aggravated trespass.
His climb was accomplished without ropes, while wearing a business suit, apparently the better to slip by building security. Lloyd’s workers stared out windows at him agog as he scaled up the modern structure.
The banner was taken down after he left.
Louise Shield, speaking for Lloyd’s said, “We’re an iconic building [and] we’re a target for these activities.” She said the insurance market has a “very minimal amount of business is written in Burma.”
Burma Campaign said Mr. Robertson’s protest climb was timed to coincide with the eve of the June 19 birthday of Burma’s elected Prime Minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained under house arrest in Burma for the majority of the last 19 years and is now on trial.
Burma Campaign last year protested outside the Lloyd’s building over the fact that Lloyd’s Chairman Peter Levene serves on the board of the French oil company Total which operates in the Myanmar Republic with the blessing of the junta.
Lord Levene has refused to give up his Total directorship despite criticism from British Labor Party lawmakers.
Mr. Robertson, in 2007, free-climbed the outside of the Eiffel Tower to protest Total’s involvement in Burma.
Burma Campaign said in a statement that “Lloyd’s of London, and the various insurance syndicates operating from within the Lloyd’s building in Lime Street, have consistently failed to recognize that their underwriting of the generals’ airline and shipping interests merely perpetuates this vicious and bloodthirsty regime. The atrocities committed by the ruling junta include forced relocation, rape, child labor, imprisonment without trial, and murder.”
Burma Protestor Scales Lloyd’s Tower With A Message
written by DANIEL HAYS
Thursday June 18, 2009
A human rights advocate climbed a part of the way up the face of the 12-story Lloyd’s building in London today and affixed a banner telling the insurance market to “Leave Burma.”
The Burma Campaign UK, which opposes firms doing business with Burma, while it is ruled by a repressive military junta, identified the climber as Mike Robertson, 47, from Wareham, England.
Mr. Robertson, after he descended the building was arrested by City of London police and a police spokesperson told TheLondonPaper.com the charge was suspicion of causing a breach of the peace and aggravated trespass.
His climb was accomplished without ropes, while wearing a business suit, apparently the better to slip by building security. Lloyd’s workers stared out windows at him agog as he scaled up the modern structure.
The banner was taken down after he left.
Louise Shield, speaking for Lloyd’s said, “We’re an iconic building [and] we’re a target for these activities.” She said the insurance market has a “very minimal amount of business is written in Burma.”
Burma Campaign said Mr. Robertson’s protest climb was timed to coincide with the eve of the June 19 birthday of Burma’s elected Prime Minister, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained under house arrest in Burma for the majority of the last 19 years and is now on trial.
Burma Campaign last year protested outside the Lloyd’s building over the fact that Lloyd’s Chairman Peter Levene serves on the board of the French oil company Total which operates in the Myanmar Republic with the blessing of the junta.
Lord Levene has refused to give up his Total directorship despite criticism from British Labor Party lawmakers.
Mr. Robertson, in 2007, free-climbed the outside of the Eiffel Tower to protest Total’s involvement in Burma.
Burma Campaign said in a statement that “Lloyd’s of London, and the various insurance syndicates operating from within the Lloyd’s building in Lime Street, have consistently failed to recognize that their underwriting of the generals’ airline and shipping interests merely perpetuates this vicious and bloodthirsty regime. The atrocities committed by the ruling junta include forced relocation, rape, child labor, imprisonment without trial, and murder.”
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