The Jury in the trial of the twenty-eight Greenpeace volunteers charged with criminal damage and theft at Norwich Crown Court has acquitted all the volunteers of theft and failed to reach a verdict on criminal damage.
The announcement, made today (19/4/00), means that the Crown Prosecution Service must now consider whether to seek a retrial. The volunteers had gone on trial on April 3rd on charges relating to 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 as part of a campaign to prevent genetic contamination of the environment.
Speaking immediately after the announcement, Peter Melchett, Executive Director of Greenpeace, said: "The prosecution could not convince the Jury that these people were guilty of criminal damage and we are delighted that their honesty has not been called into question with their acquittal on the charge of theft. It is disappointing for all the defendants that the charge of criminal damage is left hanging over them but we will simply have to wait on whether the Crown Prosecution Service will seek a retrial. However, the Greenpeace campaign against the reckless release of GM crops into the environment continues and we will put particular emphasis on working with local communities to create GM-free zones throughout Britain. While we were sitting in court, over a 1000 GM-free zones were declared in Norfolk alone - ranging from cottage gardens to large commercial farms."
While the Greenpeace 28 stood trial, GM technology continued to retreat in the face of popular opposition. Since April 3 rd :
- A fourth farm has withdrawn from the Government's GM trials programme in Tittleshall, Norfolk
- The Church of England Ethical Investment Advisory Group recommended on 5 th April that Church of England land should not be used for the Government's GM trials
- On 13 th April Austria banned T25 GM maize - the same maize that was cut down and bagged by the Greenpeace volunteers
- Over a thousand GM-free zones were declared in Norfolk ranging from cottage gardens to large commercial farms
Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on: 020 7865 8255
