THREE GREENPEACE ACTIVISTS ARRESTED FOR PREVENTING GE FOOD DISTRIBUTION
Auckland, New Zealand, 30 March 2000. Police forcibly removed and arrested three Greenpeace activists who chained
themselves to the gates of the Nestle Distribution Centre in Wiri, South Auckland at 6am this morning. They have been
charged with trespass and will appear in Otahuhu Court on Friday 31 March at 9.30am.
The action, which closed down the site, followed Greenpeace’s discovery that Nestle’s instant soy drink, marketed under
the brand name ‘Carnation”, is contaminated with Monsanto’s genetically engineered Roundup Ready Soya.
Greenpeace refused to voluntarily leave the premises until Nestle New Zealand makes a public commitment to go GE free.
Nestle has asked Greenpeace to leave the South Auckland plant because it plans to make a statement later in the day –
but it will not reveal the contents of that statement.
“Greenpeace will only leave voluntarily once a public commitment to go GE free has been made by Nestle,” says Greenpeace
GE campaigner, Carl Reller.
“Nestle has guaranteed it will rid its food products of genetically engineered ingredients in Austria, France, Germany,
Belgium, the United Kingdom and Hong Kong over the past year. But at the same time they are still supplying GE food to
New Zealanders. This is unacceptable to consumers in New Zealand. GE food is not wanted and not needed” he says .
“Consumers can make their views known by phoning Nestle on Freephone 0800 830 840 and demanding that Nestle NZ commit to
going GE free”, continues Reller.
ends