Twenty Eight Greenpeace volunteers, including Lord Peter Melchett, being held in police custody for decontaminating a genetically modified (GM) farm-scale trial are appearing in Norwich Magistrates Court today. Before adjourning for lunch, the Magistrate denied Lord Melchett bail until August 5th, the remaining 27 will be heard after lunch.
The 28 are being charged with criminal damage and theft and will plead not guilty. Greenpeace Campaign Director Sarah Burton explained that this issue is about the defence of public rights. She said, "the public has the right to a safe environment and food-chain free from GM contamination. If the authorities, in this case the Government, fail to uphold those rights it is legitimate for others to do so. We took urgent action to defend those public rights."Greenpeace took non violent direct action to decontaminate the site early yesterday (Monday) morning. Greenpeace, which has campaigned against genetic engineering for ten years, believes that farm-scale trials are a direct and unjustifiable threat to the environment.
GM organisms released into the environment pose a risk because they are a form of 'living pollution'. They can self-replicate; the potential damage is irreversible; it is a threat to organic food and removes genuine choice for the consumer. Sarah Burton said, "We already know this crop is a threat, so much so that the Swiss Government banned it from open air trials (1). It is a danger to the environment and to the food chain and once that crop has flowered the contamination is irreversible."
Scientific Advisors to the Government have admitted that cross contamination is an inevitable consequence of growing GM crops in the environment. Greenpeace argues that testing at a farm-scale level is therefore meaningless and a political rather than a scientific act. Sarah Burton "If contamination is inevitable and it is, the question is simple, do you want your environment and food contaminated or not. If you don't and over 90% of the British public don't, testing is meaningless, you simply don't put GM into the environment."
The farm-scale trial at Lyng is effectively owned by AgrEvo since the farmer is paid for the use of the site and cannot sell the crop.
All volunteers bailed except Lord Melchett
Responding to the news that all the Greenpeace volunteers except Lord Peter Melchett have been bailed, Greenpeace Campaign Director Sarah Burton said: "We are relieved that most of our people have been granted bail but obviously distressed that Peter is to be imprisoned. We believe it is unnecessary for anyone to be detained." "It should be the Government and agrochemical companies on trial not Greenpeace. It is genetically modified crops which need containing not us."
Peter Melchett knew and accepted the risks associated with taking non violent direct action.
Greenpeace International Executive Director, Thilo Bode said: "It is outrageous that Greenpeace is being treated like dangerous criminals for taking direct action against genetic pollution that nobody wants. Jailing Peter Melchett and other Greenpeace activists after harvesting a maize-field to protect the environment is out of all proportion. We work within the law and everybody knows: Greenpeacers don't run away. We stand by our activities and consider them to be in accordance with the law. But we will certainly not give in to violence and legal threats."
Greenpeace International will continue to conduct peaceful actions against the release of genetically engineered crops into the environment as well in Great Britain as elsewhere.
Support for the Greenpeace campaign against GM crops is coming in from many sides including hundreds of e-mails and phone calls from the public and from groups including: ASEED, a Dutch environmental group; Gaia Foundation; Genethics News; Oxygene; Swindon Campaign Against Modification of food; The Millenium Debate and the Totnes Campaign Against GM.
A BBC Online poll on direct action, using The Greenpeace Lyng action as an example is currently showing 80% in support.
Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on: 020 7865 8255
