Fifty Activists and a Polar Bear Halt UK Coal Train

What happens when a polar bear crosses the tracks?

The train stops.

That’s how it went in central England on Tuesday when fifty Greenpeace activists and a polar bear (or a person dressed like one) halted a 1,500 tonne coal train bound for the coal-fired Cottam Power Station in the town of Nottinghamshire, east of Sheffield.

While the life-sized bear blocked the path of the train, the demonstrators climbed on top of the cargo cars and began shoveling coal into sacks, which were then stamped with “Return to Sender: Vladimir Putin” and tossed aboard. According to the group, 51 percent of the United Kingdom’s coal imports comes from Russian coal oligarchs.

The demonstrators reportedly used industry standard flags to stop the train. And although the police have responded, as of Tuesday afternoon the train was stalled on the tracks and continued to block the main supply route to the power station, BBC reports.