Greenpeace protests against nuclear energy

Greenpeace launched a major operation yesterday at the oldest nuclear power plants in six European countries, including Belgium. Forty activists were able to climb onto one of the three reactors in Tihange, roughly 80km south of Brussels, where they unveiled a Greenpeace banner.

The NGO is calling on governments not to extend the life of the sites beyond their originally planned periods of use. The organisation wants to see governments move away from nuclear energy and begin exploiting clean and safer forms of energy.

Police arrested the protestors in Tihange shortly after 1pm, but not until after they were able to get their message out. 

There are currently 151 nuclear reactors operating in Europe, 66 of which have been operating more than 30 years, 25 more 35 years, and seven of them began operation over 40 years ago.