19.1.2008
Anti-GM protesters have cut down 19 genetically modified pine trees at a research site near Rotorua. The attack happened at some stage over the weekend.
A 1.5 metre hole was found along the fenceline, made of 3.5 metre high electrified wire. The crop destroyers are assumed to have burrowed through that hole before chopping down the trees, almost 1/4 of the 80 trees on the site.
Police found a spade with a “GE Free New Zealand” sticker on it leaning up against the fence. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack.
The Rotorua site was the same one protested against in 2005, where four people were arrested, one of whom was also pepper sprayed by Police. That protest was organised by the People’s Moratorium Enforcement Agency, who have celebrated the weekend’s action.
“The destruction of the GE trees in Rotorua highlights the resistance to genetic engineering in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Because ERMA is not stopping GE material from being released into the environment, the people of Aotearoa have to intervene,” said PMEA spokesperson Felicity Perry.
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On Monday, environmental saboteurs circumvented an electrified security fence by tunneling underneath it, and chopped down 20 genetically engineered trees.
Rotorua, New Zealand – Environmental saboteurs appear to be responsible for the destruction of field trial crop of genetically modified radiata pine and Norway spruce trees at the Crown Research Institute Scion’s base. On Monday, vandals circumvented an electrified security fence by tunneling underneath it, and chopped down 20 genetically engineered trees.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10487121
A spade with a “GE Free New Zealand” sticker was left behind, apparently to make sure authorities new why the nighttime raid was carried out. Researchers will likely be forced to abandon this particular experiment since a full 20% of their trees were destroyed.