More than 100 Greenpeace activists occupied the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow on Monday, claiming that merbau timber flooring being used in a refurbishment programme had come from endangered rainforests.
The activists removed packs of the new hardwood flooring supplied by Junckers and replaced it with Forest Stewardship Council-certified timber.
Greenpeace claimed it entered the site after Junckers said documentation regarding the source of the timber “does not exist”. Junckers was unavailable for comment.
Later in the day Glasgow council officials ordered contractors to stop work replacing the flooring, part of the refurbishment which was awarded almost £13m by the National Lottery.
Greenpeace also gave notice that it is monitoring at least 11 other Lottery-funded projects including Wembley Stadium. The environmental group is calling on the National Lottery and all major construction companies to implement timber procurement guidelines immediately for projects it funds.
