bearing witness

Taking action

Last edited 26 June 2012 at 5:32pm

Nonviolent direct action is at the heart of our work. It always has been. Greenpeace was founded in 1971 by a small group of anti-war protesters taking nonviolent direct action against US nuclear weapons testing. Today, taking action is as important as ever to the way we campaign for a greener, more peaceful and equitable world.


“Once you have witnessed an injustice, you cannot claim ignorance as a defence for inaction. You make an ethical choice: to act or not.” - Ben Metcalfe, one of the original Greenpeace crew

Article tagged as: about, bearing witness, direct actions, nonviolence

Greenpeace vessel surrounded by Japanese Maritime Safety Commandos while bearing witness to deadly plutonium fuel shipment

Last edited 27 September 1999 at 8:00am
27 September, 1999

At around 5.30am today, amidst massive maritime security, the Greenpeace ship MV Arctic Sunrise bore witnesses to the delivery of the first cargo of weapons usable plutonium-MOX fuel to Japan from Europe. The fuel onboard the British flagged ship "Pacific Teal" arrived at the Fukushima nuclear plant on Japan's Pacific Coast. Carrying banners reading "Plutonium Kills" and "Plutonium = Destruction", the Sunrise was surrounded by 10 Japanese Maritime Safety Agency (MSA) ships carrying commandos in full riot equipment.

Article tagged as: bearing witness, mox fuel, nuclear, nuclear power, nuclear transports, plutonium, press releases

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