Anti GE Actions

Throughout December there were numerous actions across Europe against the arrival of Monsanto’s genetically modified ‘Roundup Ready Soya’, as well as Ciba Geigy’s Bt Maize that has just been given the go-ahead for importation into Europe by the European Commission.

December 11th saw Greenpeace paying visits to the nine directors of Unilever where they planted huge ‘X’s’ in their gardens. Unilever is Britain’s largest food manufacturer and they are refusing to label food containing GE soya here in Britain (although they have assured German consumers that they will have a choice). This was one of dozens of actions by Greenpeace world-wide against Genetic Engineering in the last two months.

The 14th December, the International Day of Action against Genetic Engineering, saw supermarket managers around the country running around panicking as their customers were leafleted about the possible dangers of the G E food that will be on shelves, unlabelled, any day now. (Soya is present in 60% of all processed food.) Theatrical protests were used by Reclaim The Streets in London and Bath Eco Futures Group, to help bring the message home in both cities.

In Liverpool on 17th December six activists climbed into Cargill’s soya processing plant and marked soya filled silos with large ‘X’s’ to warn of contamination.

In their press release they said that Cargill were risking ecological catastrophe and were abusing their control over the market by refusing British consumers the right to choose not to eat genetically manipulated food, and demanded that the company stops the import of Genetically Engineered soya. Cargill hold the monopoly on the production of soy oil and protein in this country. One of Ciba Geigy’s compounds in Macclesfield, Cheshire also had a visit, with huge ‘X’s’ being sprayed on their entrance and a message sprayed all down one wall warning of the ‘Genetic Hazard Inside’.

Meanwhile in Denmark the offices of Monsanto, owner of the patent on the herbicide ‘Roundup’ and the company behind the genetically manipulated soya bean of the same name, were occupied for many hours with activists d-locking onto the staircase.

Greenpeace now have available their campaign pack on Genetic Engineering, and it is a must for anyone who would like more information. You can call them on: 0171 865 8100. Manchester Earth First! also have information on upcoming actions and can be contacted on: 0161 224 4846.

If you have information to send out on the above subject, or want receive information on actions and the latest news via e-mail contact rts@gn.apc.org.