The U.S. Attorney's office has agreed to drop felony charges against 15 Greenpeace activists and two freelance journalists who were due to stand trial in Los Angeles today following a peaceful protest against a Star Wars missile test at Vandenberg Air Force Base on July 14, 2001.
All 17 defendants today pleaded guilty to a single misdemeanour charge of conspiring to enter a military base, which carries a potential jail term of up to six months (1). In addition, Greenpeace staff in the United States have been bound by a civil injunction, preventing them from participating in protests which break the law at military bases supporting the Star Wars programme in the United States and the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. (2)
"The US government was attempting to shut down Greenpeace's campaign to stop Star Wars by bringing totally unwarranted felony charges against the activists which could have meant up to six years in jail and huge fines." said William Peden Greenpeace International Disarmament Campaigner.
"It wont work. The bombing of the Rainbow Warrior didn't stop us putting an end to French nuclear testing, and these heavy handed tactics by the US government won't derail our global campaign to stop Star Wars."
The activists had hoped to go to court and face all the charges, believing that if the jury heard why the protest took place they would have been acquitted. However under a motion in limine', or gag order, sought by and granted to the prosecution just prior to the trial, they would have been unable to present a defence based upon moral opposition to Star Wars, or from detailing their case that the test was illegal under both US and international law.
The 15 activists, who include Britons John Wills and Bill Nandris, went to Vandenberg on July 14, 2001 to peacefully protest against a Star Wars missile test. During the protest some activists swam ashore with "Stop Star Wars" banners while others protested under the flight path of the missile, delaying the test for 40 minutes. The two journalists who documented the protest are a US national and Briton Steve Morgan.
The action at Vandenberg was one of a series of international actions by Greenpeace against the proposed US Star Wars system. In May last year over one hundred activists invaded the National Security Agency base at Menwith Hill Yorkshire to highlight its proposed role in Star wars. Boat actions against missile tests have been undertaken at Kwajalein atoll in the Marshall Islands as well as at Vandenberg and a boat tour of Greenland engaged local Inuit people in a dialogue about US plans to use the Thule radar base as part of the Star wars system. A follow up 'dog sled' tour of Greenland is planned for later this year.
Notes to editors:
1) Some or all 17 defendants will have to appear in court on January 18th for sentencing. The prosecution has indicated they may still demand that some could be given jail terms.
2) Under the terms of the injunction United States Greenpeace staff are barred from participating in any protests which break the law at military bases supporting the Star Wars programme in the US, as well as the facility in the Marshall Islands. $150,000 was demanded in damages for costs incurred by the government and military as a result of the protest and subsequent legal proceedings. Should Greenpeace in the US violate the terms, a $500,000 fine will be imposed and individuals involved in the breach could face jail terms.
(3) The 15 activists come from the US, UK, Sweden, India, Australia, Germany, Canada and New Zealand. The freelance journalists come from the US and the UK.
Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace UK press office on 020 7865 8255
