Two Arrested During Greenpeace Occupation Of Tegel Factory
19 January 2001, Christchurch –Two activists from the Rainbow Warrior were arrested this morning after Greenpeace
occupied a Tegel factory in Christchurch to protest the use of GE soya meal in animal feed.
One activist had attached himself to a tripod at the entrance of the factory and the other activist was chained to the
main gate of the factory.
“We want to demonstrate that GE soy is not needed and not wanted in the environment or the food chain. Genetic
engineering is a new technology that poses uncontrollable and irreversible risks; it is living pollution,” said Annette
Cotter, Greenpeace campaigner.
“We have delivered two tonnes of GE free soya beans to Tegel today to prove that there are GE free alternatives. The
worlds largest food supermarket, Carrefour has committed to GE free animal feed, as has Tesco the third largest food
supermarket and McDonalds in Europe can guarantee its chicken has been fed GE free animal feed ,” said Cotter. These
companies are sourcing their GE free soy from India and Brazil, where it is illegal to grow GE crops.
Over the last month the Rainbow Warrior has been campaigning for a GE free future and activists from the ship have been
involved in a number of actions that target GE in the foodchain.