Campaign Chronology
4th July 1998: Launch action of the
genetiX snowball campaign. Five women: Rowan Tilly, Jo Hamilton, Melanie Jarman,
Kathryn Tulip, Zoe Elford are arrested after openly and peacefully uprooting
almost 200 genetically engineered plants at a Monsanto demonstration site, Model Farm [see also article] near Watlington (12.5 miles south of Oxford). They are
later released without charge.
(See press release July 1st 1998, July 4th 1998)
16th July 1998: Temporary injunctions are granted by judge Mr Justice
Jowitt on 16 July 1998 which prohibit the five women from 'uprooting, destroying
or otherwise damaging or interfering with any of the Monsanto plants or crops at
their seventy test field sites in England. Monsanto are also pursuing a claim
for unspecified damages against the five women.
(See press release 19th July
1998)
18th July 1998: Second genetiX
snowball action. Six men and women who set out to openly and accountably pull up
genetically engineered crops on a CPB Twyford 'test field' site at Manor Farm, 3
miles south of Banbury in Oxfordshire, were delighted to discover that the
farmer had cancelled the trial of oil seed rape when he found it was genetically
engineered.
(See press release 16th July 1998, 18th July 1998)
30th July 1998: Preliminary
hearing of Monsanto's claim at the High Court, London; injunctions issued on
July 16th against five genetiX snowball campaigners, were renewed. Mr Justice
Steel who heard the case granted the campaigners additional time for the
preparation of their defences.
(See press release 28th July 1998, 30th July 1998)
10th August 1998: GenetiX
snowball action of July 4th 1998 featured as part of World in Action's 'Eat up
your genes'. Programme, most know for publicising work of Dr Pusztai about
feeding studies of rats and genetically modified potatoes.
(See press release 7th August
1998)
16th August 1998: Third genetiX
snowball action at Sharpe's International Seeds (part of Advanta Holdings, a
subsidiary of Astra Zeneca), Boothby
Graffoe [see also article],
12 miles south of Lincoln. Eleven people, including five local
residents were arrested as they attempted to uproot genetically engineered sugar
beet. Eight members of the group were arrested by the police, as they reached
the release site. The remaining three were successful in uprooting genetically
engineered sugar beet. Those arrested were released a short while later and
ordered to report to Lincoln Police station in October, when no charges were
brought.
(See press release 12th August 1998, 16th August 1998)
18th September 1998: On Friday
18th September 1998 at the High Court in London, Monsanto were granted a
further, broader injunction against the five women
who launched genetiX snowball, the campaign's Press Liaison, Andrew Wood and all
'members' of genetiX snowball, 'an unincorporated association'. Monsanto's
action against genetiX snowball campaigners was prompted by the campaign's plans
to transform a release site for genetically engineered crops on 20th
September.
(See press release 18th September
1998)
20th September 1998: The fourth
genetiX snowball action called 'genetiX harvest'. Forty campaigners, under the
banner of 'genetiX snowball' trespassed onto the UK's foremost commercial
testing ground for genetically engineered crops at AgrEvo,
East Winch Farm, near Kings Lynn, Norfolk. The campaigners planted
organic seeds and flowers as examples of environmentally responsible farming.
They left the land symbolically 'transformed'.
(See press release 31st August 1998, 16th September 1998, 19th September 1998, 20th September 1998)
10th December 1998: Parliamentary
launch of genetiX snowball's action handbook. Melanie Jarman of genetiX snowball
launched the 'genetiX snowball Handbook for
Action - a guide to safely removing genetically modified crops from release
sites in Britain'. Alan Simpson, Labour M.P for Nottingham
South spoke at the launch in the House of Commons.
(See press release 26th November 1998, 10th December 1998)
21st December 1998: genetiX
snowball's web site officially goes on-line. The web site not only documents the
campaign to date but includes resources for groups and individuals who wish to
take nonviolent direct action against genetically engineered crops including a
complete copy of the 'Handbook for Action'. The genetiX snowball site is part of
the Free Range Activism Web site
(http://www.gn.apc.org/pmhp. See press release
21st December 1998)
19th January 1999: On Tuesday
19th January, at the Green Futures Awards Ceremony, attended by Environment
Minister Micheal Meacher, genetiX snowball rejected the Green Ribbon award
(hosted by Green Futures, the magazine of Forum for the Future) for 'Best
Political Campaign by an Environmental Organisation'. GenetiX snowball maintains
that the award's sponsors Norsk Hydro are not pursuing environmental
sustainability and that the Green Ribbon Awards are a 'Greenwash' opportunity.
(See press release January 19th
1999)
26th January 1999: Monsanto, the
giant biotechnology corporation appeared at the High Court in London as six
defendants sought to strike out it's claim for an injunction and unlimited
damages. Monsanto has responded by dropping its claim for damages but is
claiming permanent injunctions against the six. Monsanto are also seeking to
expedite the proceedings by applying for summary judgement.
(See press release 29th January
1999)
27th January 1999: genetiX
snowball releases 'Rolling the snowball ...', a film documenting the first
genetiX snowball action on July 4th 1998. The film, available as a video tape,
shows the women as they set out for the site; uproot the plants despite the
heavy police presence (including a helicopter); and their subsequent arrest. The
women share their hopes and fears for the action and describe their motivations.
The aim of the film is to inspire and inform.
(See press release 27th January
1999)
22nd March 1999: At the High
Court in London, Monsanto applied to amend it's current injunction against
genetiX snowball. They obtained an amendment increasing the list of sites for
genetically modified (GM) plants at which genetiX snowball actions are
restrained. The Judge, The Honourable Mr Justice Eady, also accepted an
application by Monsanto that it should not be required to provide a list of any
future GM test sites to the defendants, but the Judge did order Monsanto to
promptly confirm details of their test sites when questioned by genetiX
snowball.
(See press release 5th April
1999)
27 March 1999: Two groups from
genetiX snowball in London and Manchester openly "decontaminate" their local
supermarkets. Four campaigners from genetiX snowball London openly confiscated
several baskets full of genetically modified (GM) products from a Tesco
supermarket in London. One campaigner was arrested for theft. She had attempted
to put organic products on the shelves as alternatives but the supermarket
declined to accept them. Another snowball group in Manchester confiscated two
trolleys full of GM goods from Safeways.
(See press release 25th March 1999, 27th March 1999)
29th March 1999: Campaigners from
genetiX snowball London delivered a biohazard food dump to the Ministry of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF). The dump contained more than fifty
genetically modified (GM) products which had been openly confiscated last
Saturday from a Tesco supermarket in London. They reported the GM products as a
biohazard and asked MAFF to take responsibility for their safe disposal. MAFF
accepted the biohazard dump.
(See press release 29th March
1999)
15th April 1999: At a hearing of
the High Court in London AgrEvo UK Limited and Plant Genetic Systems B.V. gained
the most wide ranging injunction to date against genetiX snowball. The
injunction was sought in anticipation of a genetiX snowball action called
'Silent Spring' on April 17th. The Judge, Mr Justice Douglas Brown awarded the
injunction as set out by AgrEvo/PGS in their application. The terms of the
injunction were similar to those granted to Monsanto in its previous injunction.
He accepted their definition of a genetiX snowball 'member' as being anyone on
genetiX snowball's mailing list and ordered genetiX snowball to provide a copy
of the list to AgrEvo/PGS "forthwith".
(See press release 13th April 1999, 16th April 1999)
17th April 1999: Eighty eight
people at five different sites around the country took part in 'Silent Spring -
An action to make our food, our land and our future free from genetically
modified crops'. Three actions in Cambridgeshire, Worcestershire and North
Yorkshire involved Citizen's Inspections of release sites for genetically
modified plants. The other two actions in Brighton and Street in Somerset
involved the confiscation of foods containing genetically modified organisms
from supermarkets. There were no arrests.
(See press release 15th February 1999, 15th April 1999, 16th
April 1999, 17th April 1999)
April 20th 1999: After a two day
hearing in the High Court in London, Monsanto
plc lost its application for permanent injunctions against six defendants from
genetiX snowball. Monsanto's lawyers claimed it was 'inconceivable' that the
defendants might have justification for uprooting its genetically modified
plants on the 4th July last year. The judge disagreed and ordered that the case
proceed to a full trial. The temporary injunctions which Monsanto had already
obtained against the six continue.
(See press release 14th April 1999,
20th April 1999)
16th June 1999: Four people from Cereals '99
snowball peacefully uprooted approximately 400 genetically modified
(GM) sugarbeet plants at the opening day of Cereals '99 held at
Vine Farm, Wendy in Hertfordshire.
The GM sugar beet, were planted last year and formed part of an
exhibit on the Monsanto trade stand.
Farmers and Monsanto staffed looked on as the uprooted plants
were put in bags for disposal as a
biohazard. Security staff arrived after about twenty minutes
but there were no arrests and the activists
were escorted off the site.
(See press release 16th June 1999)
2nd July 1999:
On July 2nd there was an open action at trial site for genetically modified maize in Croatia. The
participants have said it was inspired by the genetiX snowball 'Handbook for Action'.
(See web site http://www.zelena-akcija.hr/ge)
16th July 1999:
At a hearing of the High Court in London, Claimants
AgrEvo UK Limited/Plant Genetic Systems N.V.
were successful in extending their injunction against
six named defendants and 'members' of genetiX
snowball. The new injunction restrains the defendants
from uprooting or damaging plants at additional
trial sites for genetically modified(GM) crops.
This includes six farm scale trials of GM crops (each up
to 10 hectares/24 acres in size). In particular
'The Claimants are extremely concerned that the
demonstration planned for 18 July at the Watlington
site [a farm scale trial in Oxfordshire] may get out
of hand and the crops … will be damaged'.
(See press release 30th July 1999,
Agrevo's Statment of Claim, and Agrevo's
First/Second Injunctions. Also the Chronology entry
for 15th April)
28th July 1999:
At a hearing of the High Court in London, Mr Justice
Michael Burton found four people in contempt of
a court order when they uprooted Monsanto's
Genetically Modified (GM) crops at the agricultural trade
show 'Cereals 99' on June 16th 1999. He ordered a
suspended sentence of one month on the organiser
of the action Martin Shaw and ordered that all four
defendants be named on the injunction against
genetiX snowball. This injunction restrains the
members of genetiX snowball from uprooting or
interfering with Monsanto's GM crops. Monsanto applied
for the court hearing and supplied evidence
to the court.
(See press release 23rd July 1999 and
28th July 1999)
3rd August 1999:
At 6.00 a.m. on Tuesday 3rd August 1999 Jo Hamilton,
Rowan Tilly and Martin Shaw from genetiX
snowball defied the court injunction against them
and pulled up genetically modified (GM) oilseed
rape at a trial site at Chishill Orchard Farm,
Royston in Hertfordshire. The trial site and GM plants are
owned by AgrEvo UK Ltd. Three large bags of GM
plants were removed, one of which was then
delivered to AgrEvo UK's headquarters at East
Winch Farm, Kings Lynn in Norfolk. The police were
called to AgroEvo's headquaters but no arrests
were made. Breach of the injunction could carry a
prison term of two years.
(See press release 3rd August 1999 and the
information pack produced for the event)
8th November 1999:
Monsanto appealed the decision by Justice Klevan in
April to grant defendants from the genetiX snowball campaign a full trial. A
two day hearing was held in the Court of Appeal at the Royal Courts of
Justice, Strand, London.
(See press release 5th October 1999,
1st November 1999,
4th November 1999 and press briefing of
4th November 1999)
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