g e n e t i X s n o w b a l l a c a m p a i g n o f n o n v i o l e n t c i v i l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y One World Centre, 6 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5NS. Tel: 0161 834 0295 Fax: 0161 834 8187 25 March 1999 PRESS RELEASE GenetiX campaigners go shopping (without paying) On Saturday 27 March 1999 two groups from genetiX snowball in London and Manchester will openly "decontaminate" their local supermarkets by removing genetically manipulated (GM) products without paying for them. They will replace the GM products with organic alternatives and hand the GM products in to the appropriate authorities reporting them as a "biohazard". This is the launch of a new chapter in the genetiX snowball campaign to make the UK a GM free zone. Last summer snowballers openly pulled up GM plants in test field sites to halt genetic pollution; now the snowball is rolling into supermarkets calling for guaranteed GM free products. In response to mounting pressure from anxious consumers, some supermarkets have recently adopted a policy of GM free own brand products, while others have refused to change. Supermarkets have already been informed of the actions and each campaigner will provide a statement explaining the reasons for their "act of nonviolent civil responsibility". The campaigners are willing to risk arrest and justify their actions in court. London snowballers will display the GM products in a "biohazard dump" outside the supermarket and on Monday 29th will be handing them in to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Manchester snowballers will take their products to the local Environment Agency. Bob Phillips of genetiX snowball London said, "Nobody, including the supermarkets, will accept liability for force- feeding the public with hazardous GM food. Supermarkets won't carry the can and we won't pay the price." Martin Shaw of genetiX snowball Manchester said, "Repeatedly taking risks with public health is unacceptable. It is up to the public to take matters into their own hands by removing the genetic experiment from the supermarket shelves." ENDS For further information: London: Rowan Tilly on Ph/Fx 01273 625173 Katherine McGillivray on site mobile 0780 105 5657 Stills photographs: Rob Todd: 0467 420 283. Film footage: Jo Hill 0171 254 3853 Manchester: Martin Shaw on 07930 529024 NOTES TO PICTURE EDITOR 1. Still photographs of the first genetiX snowball action on 4 July are available from David Hoffman: 0181 981 5041. Photographs of the injuncted campaigners on the steps of the Royal Courts of Justice are available from ISF on Image Net or call photographer Rob Todd: 0467 420 283. 2. Film footage of actions, including campaigners digging up crops, on DVC format is available from Zoe Broughton, an award winning film maker whose work has been broadcast nationally. Call 0961 181 576. NOTES TO EDITOR 1. Last July genetiX snowball participants received injunctions from Monsanto, a trans-national biotechnology corporation, for removing GM crops from one of their test sites. The "snowball six" will be defending themselves against the injunction at a "summary judgement" hearing at the Royal Courts of Justice in London on 19/20 April 1999. 2. The genetiX snowball campaign will have carried out a total of six actions including these two. There are now local groups in Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Frome, Glastonbury, Hemmel Hempstead, Kent, Lincolnshire, London, Oxford, Manchester and Nottingham. Local snowball groups will be taking action in their localities on 17 April 1999 as part of the "Silent Spring" snowball actions. 3. genetiX snowball is calling for a five year moratorium on GM crops and products and is a signatory to the Five Year Freeze campaign which is an alliance of 29 national organisations calling for a freeze on GM crops, imports and patenting in food and farming. 4. genetiX snowball consider all their "decontamination" actions to be legitimate and although they currently have civil proceedings brought against them from Monsanto, so far they have not been charged with a criminal offence. 5. London snowballers include: Bob Phillips, Jonny Richardson, Nick Charrett, Noah Tucker and Rowan Tilly. 6. On 17 March major European supermarkets set up a consortium to ensure no GM ingredients would end up in their own label products. The consortium was pioneered by Sainsbury and includes Marks & Spencer. Other supermarkets who have pledged GM free own brand products include Asda and Waitrose. Safeway, Somerfield and Tesco have refused to make any policy changes. 7. For press releases detailing previous genetiX snowball actions, contact Andrew Wood 0973 953 446. For further information: London: Rowan Tilly on Ph/Fx 01273 625173 Katherine McGillivray on site mobile 0780 105 5657 Stills photographs: Rob Todd: 0467 420 283. Film footage: Jo Hill 0171 254 3853 Manchester: Martin Shaw on 07930 529024 More quote ideas: "We welcome Safeway making their own brand GM free, but this new policy is contradictory - they are still prepared to sell food they find unacceptable in their own brand products." "Safeway are one of the few remaining supermarkets still prepared to sell GM food in their own brand products. Taking risks with public health is unacceptable - we won't buy it and we certainly won't pay for it."