35 mins ago

CHICAGO (AFP) – Greenpeace activists were arrested Wednesday for scaling Mount Rushmore and hanging a banner next to the carved face of Abraham Lincoln urging President Barack Obama to get tough on climate change.

A video posted on the environmental group's website showed the massive banner hanging on the South Dakota mountain face.

Its message -- "America honors leaders not politicians: Stop Global Warming" and an unfinished portrait of Obama -- was barely visible as it was whipped by wind.

"Doing what it takes to solve global warming demands real political courage," Greenpeace USA deputy campaigns director Carroll Muffett said in a statement.

"If President Obama intends to earn a place among this country's true leaders, he needs to show that courage, and base his actions on the scientific reality rather than political convenience."

The protest comes as Obama meets with other G8 leaders in Italy.

G8 leaders agreed to bear the brunt of steep global cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, saying developed countries should reduce their pollution by 80 percent by 2050, a summit declaration said.

Greenpeace said the 11 climbers "took special care not to damage the monument, using existing anchors placed by the National Park Service for periodic cleaning."

Park officials said they were still investigating whether the iconic monument -- a restricted area which is closely monitored -- suffered damage.

"Early this morning visitors saw these individuals on the mountain," said Amy Bracewell, a spokeswoman for the National Park Service.

"They got up next to Abraham Lincoln and unfurled the large banner," she told AFP.

"As soon as our people were mobilized we took down the banner and apprehended them and got them safely down the mountain."

What we don't have better things to arrest people for? Though personally I think there might have been a safer way to do it, but come to think of it, if it made the news, I guess they got the message accross.

Defacing a public monument is an arrestable offense. Usually Greenpeace announces their plan on the Internet. Global warming is a divisive issue. I am not so sure humans caused it or can stop it...jmo

they could have got the same picture out simply by blending a picture over a picture.

Guess they wanted to get arrested.

How much will it cost to prosecute them?

I'm concerned that they were able to breach the "secure" area. This was an awesome National Treasure they compromised. They could have gotten the same attention standing in front of the state or nation's capital, like protesters should.

I am aware of that, still doesn't make it a huge offense in my opinion, not worth wasting a huge amount of time and money on when we have more pressing immediate concerns. JMO

I think they could have found another way to accomplish the same thing, but it's done now. As for global warming each side has taken a side yet most of us don't really have a clue if global warming is a significant problem. My take is that if we look around and see what man IS responsible for, I would certainly not want to wrong on global warming, so anything that can be done is still not a waste, better safe than sorry, kinda thing.

Yes, I tend to think they wanted the arrest to be sure he got the message. And the cost to arrest and prosecute, ah well I guess they were not thinking ahead..ugh