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Environmental campaigners have called for action against UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom after his comments ‘glorifying terrorism’.

The MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber appears in a YouTube video congratulating the French secret service for bombing the Greenpeace ship ‘Rainbow Warrior’ in New Zealand in 1985.  Portugese Greenpeace photographer, Fernando Pereira, was killed in the attack. In the video climate change denier Mr Bloom says that he does not usually have anything good to say about the French but in the case of the Rainbow Warrier bombing “Vive La France”.

The MEP’s comments came during the UN Climate Summit last December. The YouTube film was made in Copenhagen harbour, where Mr Bloom is seen posing by the Greenpeace boat.

Activists from Era 4 Climate Action (East Riding Alliance For Climate Action) are demanding that UKIP sack Mr Bloom from the party and are also taking legal advice on whether Mr Bloom’s comments are in breach of the Terrorism Act 2006.

Era 4 Climate Action spokesperson, Michael Cooper, said:

“It is outrageous that one of our MEPs sees fit to glorify an act of terrorism in which a man died. Godfrey Bloom must go. We are sure UKIP don’t want to be associated with a terrorist sympathizer. The politics of hatred and violence have no place in a civilized society. To use inflammatory language in this way is thoroughly irresponsible and possibly illegal.

“Mr Bloom’s behaviour is as ignorant and incompetent as it is disgraceful. Peaceful Greenpeace campaigners are bombed by the French secret service. A man is murdered. Yet in Mr Bloom’s mind it is Greenpeace who are the fascists and the French who are the heroes. I’m sure that many of the people who voted for UKIP in the past will be disgusted by this man’s views.”

Era 4 Climate Action and Greenpeace volunteer, Richard Claxton, added:

“Mr Bloom is supposed to be representing me in the European Parliament. As a committed Greenpeace volunteer I find his remarks deeply offensive. Does he really think that my life and the lives of other Greenpeace campaigners are worthless?”

Martin Deane, of the Yorkshire & Humber Green Party, said: “I find his comments disturbing.  There will be lots of Greens and sympathisers across the country who find it scandalous and outrageous.  He should resign”.

Bloom is a controversial figure, previously telling UK women that they should choose between careers or children.  According to the BBC website he refused to talk about the matter when asked for a statement yesterday.