peace

Greenpeace UK says oil giant is shoulder to shoulder with Bush on war and global warming

Civil disobedience by peace campaigners has this morning seen the UK operation of the world's most powerful company severely disrupted across seventeen counties.

Responding to Geoff Hoon's announcement in Parliament today that the government will allow the United States to use UK facilities, including the Fylingdales military base in Yorkshire, for their 'Star Wars' system, Stephen Tindale, Executive Director of Greenpeace UK said,

"It is disgraceful that the government is using the cover of impending war with Iraq to push through this decision to back Bush's aggressive plans for developing a 'Star Wars' missile defence system".

Responding to Geoff Hoon's announcement in Parliament today that the government is minded to allow the United States to use UK facilities, including the Fylingdales military base in Yorkshire, for their 'Star Wars' system, Stephen Tindale, Executive Director of Greenpeace UK said,

"It's always been clear that the Blair government would roll over and let Bush do what he wants, but this is still a disgraceful decision".

He continued,

Greenpeace campaigners this week set off on a dog sled tour to visit isolated Greenlandic communities and collect testimonies of their opposition to Denmark giving the US permission to use the Thule radar base in Greenland as part of the US Star Wars system. 

Nine Greenpeace activists today walked free from court after pleading guilty to conspiring to trespass on a military base, during a peaceful protest against the Star Wars missile defence programme last July.

All nine were given one year probation. No fines were imposed, and all are free to return home. Each of the defendants presented powerful statements to the court prior to sentence, outlining their moral and legal objections to the programme in Los Angeles this morning.

Greenpeace activists who face jail over a peaceful protest against the Star Wars missile defence programme in the United States, have peacefully and lawfully returned to the military base to re-state their opposition to the programme.

While still awaiting sentencing, activists gathered at the front gate of Vandenberg Air Force Base holding banners that read "Still Protesting Star Wars".

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.