“Obscene” Superyacht Protested in the UK

Climate protesters in Bristol Harbour in the UK aren’t happy that M/Y Archimedes, a 67-meter Feadship owned by U.S. billionaire Jim Simons, a hedge fund boss based in New York City, is taking up space on the waterfront. Since arriving in the UK on August 5, activists have been using banners and placards to express their distaste, with messages like “Go away and do something useful with your money.”

In particular, protestors Nikki Jones and Fi Radford spoke out about what they viewed as an intrusion into their city. Local newspaper Bristol Post reports that they are “shocked” and “offended” by the superyacht’s presence in “austerity-hit Bristol.” The two were also upset about the vessel’s eco effects. “Boats like this are polluting the oceans. It pollutes the air, it pollutes the waters, I care about the environment I care about my city,” Fi was quoted as saying in the Bristol Post.

Aside from owning the hedge fund firm Renaissance Technologies, worth about £64 billion, Simons is also a former math teacher who has donated large sums of money to scientific research to improve math programs in public schools.

According to BBC News, Archimedes, which was built in 2008, is one of the biggest vessels to ever visit Bristol and she is estimated to be worth £75 million.