Worldwide calls to free the Rainbow Warrior

Last edited 3 July 2003 at 8:00am

Worldwide calls to free the Rainbow Warrior

Chrissie Hynde and The Pretenders join forces on board the Rainbow Warrior in Valencia to show their support for our ancient forests campaign

Chrissie Hynde of the Pretenders has joined Greenpeace supporters worldwide in calling on the Spanish authorities to free our flagship, the Rainbow Warrior.

The SV Rainbow Warrior was impounded in Valencia harbour following a Greenpeace action on 13th June. This week, Hynde joined the crew members onboard to demand the ship's release.

Meanwhile in London, Greenpeace volunteers gathered outside the Spanish Embassy where they stood in silent protest. Similar protests were held in Buenos Aires, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Paris, Moscow and Tokyo.

The Rainbow Warrior was in Valencia to block the entrance of the MV Honour, a cargo ship containing illegal timber from Cameroon's rainforests. During the action our activists chained themselves to the MV Honour. The Spanish authorities siezed the Warrior and demanded a bond of Euro 300,000 for its release. The Captain of the Warrior and four other activists have been ordered to pay fines and the Spanish authorities have opened a case against our ship.

Greenpeace has not faced this kind of repression of our work since 1985, when the original Rainbow Warrior was destroyed by the French Government. Secret agents planted a bomb on the ship while it was moored in Auckland Harbour, in response to Greenpeace's protests against French nuclear tests in Muroroa. The bomb killed photographer Fernando Pereira, who was onboard the ship at the time.

Greenpeace volunteers outside the Spanish Embassy, London Greenpeace volunteers outside the Spanish Embassy, London
An area of ancient forest twice the size of Valencia is lost every day. Yet, the Spanish government is more interested in persecuting the protesters, than the companies importing illegal and destructively logged timber.

The Pretenders appeared on stage in Valencia on 1st July underneath a Greenpeace banner reading, "Save the ancient forests" in English and Spanish.

Chrissie Hynde has a long standing association with Greenpeace. In 1989, she travelled to Moscow to promote a Greenpeace record called Breakthrough, which included a Pretenders song and was the first pop compilation album ever released in the Soviet Union. The proceeds from record sales helped us establish Greenpeace Russia.

Greenpeace volunteers outside the Spanish Embassy, Moscow Protesting at the Spanish Embassy in Moscow
Greenpeace supporters worldwide are calling on the Spanish Government to release the ship. We need your help.

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