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Five Greenpeace climate activists have been arrested after climbing one of the main sails of the Sydney Opera House and hanging a protest banner on its side.
Greenpeace activists, including New Zealander Sheena Beaton from Thames, scaled the Australian icon in a stealthy operation to deliver a massive message for world leaders in Copenhagen.
Greenpeace Australia CEO Linda Selvey says the leaders need to come up with a fair, ambitious and legally binding treaty.
The banner was up on the opera house for just half an hour - long enough to tie up police resources, says Detective Inspector Paul McDonald from the New South Wales police.
"(We're) fairly angry and upset at the diversion from our normal activities to address these issues," he says.
It is the first time the opera house has been used as a protest backdrop since the infamous "no war" statement six years ago.
"People have a right to protest, but we do not believe they should be breaking the law in this respect," says McDonald.
While the banner is now down the statement has been made, heaping more pressure on Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who arrives in Copenhagen on Wednesday.
"Kevin Rudd, like many other leaders of developed countries, are actually blocking progress towards a treaty by not putting down on the table ambitious targets that leaves developing countries with nowhere to go," says Selvey.
Tuesday's activists now face possible criminal convictions and thousands of dollars in fines.
