Tradition Interrupted: Christmas Tree Ceremony Halted by Oil Field Protest
A decades-long festive tradition between Norway and the United Kingdom faced an unexpected interruption this morning when a climate activist scaled the ceremonial Christmas tree moments before it was due to be felled. The dramatic protest targeted the controversial Rosebank oil field development in the North Sea.
The annual tree-chopping ceremony in Oslo, which marks the gifting of a Christmas tree to London's Trafalgar Square, was thrown into chaos when officials spotted an Extinction Rebellion protestor sitting 65 feet high in the branches of the spruce tree. The activist had secured themselves to the trunk shortly before the scheduled felling.
Symbolic Protest Against Rosebank Oil Field
Campaigners from the StopRosebank group later revealed the stunt was organised specifically to protest against the Rosebank oil field, which remains a contentious issue between the UK government and environmental groups. The protestor unfurled a large banner urging Prime Minister Keir Starmer to reject plans for what would be the UK's largest undeveloped oil and gas field.
The activist expressed anger that both British authorities and Norway's state oil company Equinor have not abandoned plans for Rosebank, despite a legal challenge earlier this year. In a significant ruling, a judge at the Court of Session in Edinburgh found that the UK Government and North Sea Transition Authority had acted unlawfully by failing to account for emissions from burning extracted fuels.
Norway's Mayor of Oslo, Anne Lindboe, who was participating in the ceremony alongside Westminster's Lord Mayor Paul Dimoldenberg, told Norwegian Broadcasting: 'I must admit I was quite surprised when I saw some unwanted decorations on the tree.'
Historic Tradition Meets Modern Climate Concerns
The Christmas tree tradition dates back to 1947, when Norway began sending a tree to London each year to thank Britain for its support during the Second World War, when Norway fell under Nazi occupation. This symbolic gesture of friendship has continued uninterrupted for over seven decades - until today's protest.
Knut Johansson from Oslo's environmental department, who witnessed the chaotic scene, commented during the incident: 'This is not good. We cannot continue with a man in the tree.'
The activist was eventually returned to ground level by 9:30am UK time after police arrived at the scene and was subsequently escorted away from the site.
In a strongly-worded statement, StopRosebank campaigners declared: 'Norway's gift to the UK this year comes with strings attached - at the same time they are pressuring the UK to sign off on an environmental disaster in the Rosebank oil field. This is not how friends behave at Christmas.'
The statement further criticised Norway for wanting the UK to 'stay locked into expensive fossil fuels' while Norwegians enjoy cheap renewable energy, suggesting this would endanger UK wildlife and climate commitments.
Political Divide Over Energy Development
The protest comes at a critical moment, with the deadline for public consultation on Rosebank ending yesterday. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is now due to decide whether to support granting consent for the project.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has voiced strong support for developing Rosebank, citing energy security and financial benefits. She previously described legal challenges to the project as 'an act of self-harm' and criticised what she called 'lawfare killing economic growth.'
Meanwhile, a Department for Net Zero spokesman emphasised the government's commitment to 'a fair, orderly and prosperous transition in the North Sea' that aligns with climate and legal obligations while supporting investment and jobs.
Despite the court ruling that overturned initial approval, Equinor still hopes the Rosebank project will proceed next year. The field lies approximately 81 miles northwest of Shetland in the British sector of the North Sea.
