STOCKHOLM (AP) — Norwegian police have removed Greenpeace activists from an oil rig which they boarded two days ago in a protest against drilling in Arctic waters.

Police said they removed the activists without incident early Thursday on a request from the Marshall Islands, the flag state of the Transocean Spitsbergen drilling rig.

The platform, operated by Norway’s Statoil, was on its way to drill in the northern part of the Barents Sea.

Greenpeace has tried to stop the project, saying an oil spill in the area would have a disastrous impact on the marine environment.

Statoil said its safety measures in the “very unlikely” event of an oil spill were robust, and described the Greenpeace action as irresponsible and illegal.

Police said the 15 activists didn’t face any charges in Norway.

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