Police board Greenpeace ship

BBC News ^ | February 1, 2003 | BBC News

[MadIvan]

Police have boarded the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior and are towing it from its blockade at Marchwood military port to Southampton Docks.

A Royal Navy spokesman said 21 police officers from the Hampshire and Ministry of Defence forces boarded the ship at 2200 GMT from the Admiralty tug Powerful.

Their objective had been to either gain control of the ship or attach lines to the tug which would then drag the Rainbow Warrior "to a place of safety".

Greenpeace said later that police had severed the anchor chain of the Rainbow Warrior and were towing it away.

The protesters had been at the Marchwood site - which is the departure point for most of the UK's military supplies for a possible war with Iraq - since Monday.

Spokesman for Greenpeace Rob Gueterbock, who is on board the Warrior, said none of the crew had been arrested by police.

The protesters said a decision had not yet been made on what the crew will do when the ship arrives at the docks.

On Friday the government was granted a High Court injunction banning anti-war protesters from boarding any military ships, but the order did not ban the Rainbow Warrior from the area.

'Rush into war'

Earlier spokeswoman for Greenpeace said they had stopped a ship loaded with helicopters, jeeps and Scorpion tanks from leaving port.

Mr Gueterbock said: "Day and night tanks and helicopters are streaming through Marchwood as part of the build up of the military machine.

"Greenpeace is determined to do everything we can to stop this headlong rush into war."

[MadIvan]

They're out of the way now. All's well that ends well.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[Dog Gone]

I'd prefer a torpedo, but this will do.

[dep]

actually, greenpeace is the one post-napoleonic military enterprise that france handled correctly.

dep

[blam]

They should have let one of the destroyers do some target practice on it....war and all.

[Chad Fairbanks]

YEEEEHAAAA!

[cmsgop]

I will give France that...........Good Brie too.......:*)

[Guillermo]

A "high court" injunction was needed to prevent Greenpeace from boarding military vessels??

Seems to me that before the injunction, it was unclear as to whether this was permissible...

[Dan from Michigan]

Nice! They all deserve a pint of Bass Ale for that.

[HighWheeler]

The police should take it out to sea and turn it into a reef. The greenpeace kooks should be able to accept that.

[Orion78]

[Orion78]

LOL

[Temple Owl]

The gallant French would have sunk her.

[rface]

they should scuttle the scow.

[BOBWADE]

How about siezure of the ship to pay compensation for the loss of production of the armed services. They seize property for everything else, why not use it against this traitorous bunch!

[steveegg]

Their objective had been to either gain control of the ship or attach lines to the tug which would then drag the Rainbow Warrior "to a place of safety".

Somewhere along the 100-fathom curve sounds pretty safe to me.

[DAnconia55]

Their objective had been to either gain control of the ship or attach lines to the tug which would then drag the Rainbow Warrior "to a place of safety".

Like maybe the bottom of the ocean?

[steveegg]

actually, greenpeace is the one post-napoleonic military enterprise that france handled correctly

Let's convince the Frogs that Iraq bankrolled Greenpeace.

[martin_fierro]

Those Greenies sure faded to black
when Iraq th' oilfields did attack:
Greenpeace? Not around;
Earth First? Was not found;
because they know Saddam will shoot back!