CLIMATE activists had ‘oil’ poured over them in Bradford’s City Park yesterday as part of a protest against the West Yorkshire Pension Fund.

Campaigners were protesting against the Fund’s investment in fossil fuels.

Demonstrator Ruth Simpson said: "Being covered in 'oil' might seem extreme. But as the Secretary General of the United Nations said in April, climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals, but the truly dangerous radicals are those who are increasing the production of fossil fuels.”

Bradford’s Aleem Bashir added: "The devastating floods in Pakistan have been a wake up call. There is no doubt that the people of Pakistan are suffering from the effects of climate change.

“1,500 people have died, 33 million have been displaced and an area the size of England is under water.

“We are calling on our council and the Fund to divest from fossil fuel industries." 

West Yorkshire Pension Fund is responsible for pension savings worth £17 billion for workers and has around £500 million invested in fossil fuel-linked companies, the campaigners said.

The protesters chose Bradford as Bradford Council has overall responsibility for the pension fund.