28 Greenpeace volunteers face charges of criminal damage at Norwich Crown Court on Monday, 4th September, 2000. The charges arise from a Greenpeace action at Lyng, Norfolk, on 26th July, 1999, where part of an experimental crop of genetically modified (GM) maize was cut down and sealed in bags in order to prevent genetic contamination of the environment.
The first trial, which also took place in Norwich Crown Court and lasted from 3rd to 19th April, resulted in the acquittal of all the volunteers on a charge of theft. However the jury failed to reach a verdict on a charge of criminal damage.
Peter Melchett, Executive Director of Greenpeace, said:
"We will defend ourselves with the same passion and vigour as we did in our first trial. We have always been willing to let a jury determine the outcome of these proceedings and we still are. The Greenpeace volunteers were rightly acting to protect property and the environment when they cut down and bagged the crop of GM maize and we will seek to convince the new jury on this point."
Greenpeace 28 retrial starts 4th September in Norwich.
23 August, 2000
Article tagged as: farmscale trials, lyng, press releases
