Hundreds_of_activists_and_public_officials_rip_up_GM_crops

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Hundreds_of_activists_and_public_officials_rip_up_GM_crops

> " GM_WATCH " <info

> Sun, 25 Jul 2004 20:29:00 +0100

 

> GM WATCH daily

> http://www.gmwatch.org

> ------

> " Hundreds of activists opposed to genetically

> modified crops tore out rows of maize in south

> western France on Sunday and threatened similar

> future actions of " civil disobedience " to stop the

> cultivation of bio-engineered food. " (item 2)

>

> 1.Protesters destroy French GM crop

> 2.Activists rip up GM crops

> ------

> 1.Protesters destroy French GM crop

> BBC News, 25 July 2004

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3924623.stm

>

> [image caption: The Mayor of Begles, Noel Mamere,

> joined the protest near Toulouse]

>

> Hundreds of protesters have destroyed a field of

> genetically modified maize in south-west France.

> The demonstrators ripped up the transgenic crop

> plantation at Menville, near Toulouse.

>

> The activists were led by radical French farmer Jose

> Bove, who said the protest was being taken in the

> interests of consumers.

>

> About 15 policemen watched the destruction and took

> photographs of those involved, but did not

> intervene.

>

> " We observed the protest, took down the identities

> of some of the participants and took photos after

> warning the organisers that it was illegal and that

> the information would be forwarded to the

> Haute-Garrone region's prosecutor, " an officer told

> Reuters news agency.

>

> Mr Bove said the protesters were prepared to face

> the consequences.

>

> " This protest is legitimate and we did it to protect

> the consumer. We will assume the legal risks. "

>

> It was the latest in a series of protests by

> opponents of GM crops across Europe.

>

> In May, a French court fined three people 600 euros

> (GBP396) each for destroying test fields of GM crops

> in 1997.

>

> There have been about a dozen prosecutions of

> anti-GM activists in France over the past seven

> years.

>

> Also in May, the European Commission lifted a

> six-year moratorium on GM foods, permitting

> companies to sell maize known as Bt-11, packaged as

> tinned sweetcorn.

>

> Critics say GM plants and foods have not been

> properly tested and it is too soon to say if they

> are safe.

> -------

> 2.Activists rip up GM crops

> News 24, 25/07/2004- (SA)

>

http://www.news24.com/News24/World/News/0,,2-10-1462_1562931,00.html

>

> Toulouse - Hundreds of activists opposed to

> genetically modified crops tore out rows of maize in

> south western France on Sunday and threatened

> similar future actions of " civil disobedience " to

> stop the cultivation of bio-engineered food.

>

> The group of between 500 and 1 500 was led by Jose

> Bove, a noted French anti-globalisation activist who

> shot to prominence after helping pull down a

> McDonald's outlet in 1999 to protest US trade policy

> and junk food.

>

> Others taking part included a number of public

> officials from the Green party, among them Noel

> Mamere, a deputy and mayor of a suburb in Bordeaux

> who has made headlines of his own for presiding over

> France's first homosexual wedding.

>

> They gathered in a field owned by US biotech company

> Pioneer Hi-Bred International and ripped the maize

> by the roots as police who had been ordered not to

> intervene stood by and watched.

>

> " This is a legitimate action, because we reject the

> law serving private interests, " Mamere said.

>

> " We are ready to accept the consequences of our

> acts, " said Bove, who has already spent time in jail

> for destroying a stock of genetically modified seeds

> in 1998 and ruining genetically modified rice plants

> in 1999.

>

> Originally sentenced to 10 months behind bars, he

> ended up serving only five weeks and was released a

> year ago.

>

> " In the coming weeks, there will be other GM test

> fields that will be destroyed, " Bove said.

>

> France has approved 48 parcels of experimental

> transgenic food crops in 15 regions.

>

> Edited by Elmarie Jack

>