genetiX snowball 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 29 March 1999 PRESS RELEASE GenetiX campaigners deliver biohazard food dump to MAFF Today 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. One campaigner, Rowan Tilly, was arrested for theft last Saturday after she had confiscated GM products. She had also attempted to put organic products on the shelves as alternatives but the supermarket declined to accept them. She refused a caution and was released without charge. Another snowball group in Manchester confiscated two trolleys full of GM goods from Safeways. This was 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. Manager Brian McLaughlin stated that Tescos had no plans to remove GM ingredients from their own brand products as other supermarkets have done. All campaigners provided signed statements explaining the reasons for their "act of nonviolent civil responsibility". They displayed the conficated GM cache outside Tescos in a "biohazard dump" and explained the risks of GM food to customers as they entered the store. They went on to Safeways to carry out further "decontamination" but were prevented from entering by police. Bob Phillips, an organic gardner, said, "As long as the government continues to waive responsibility and liability for GM crops and food, we intend to continue to decontaminate supermarkets and test field sites and we invite others to join us." Advance Notice: Several genetiX snowball local groups will be decontaminating supermarkets and test field sites in "Silent Spring" actions on 17 April 1999. ENDS For further information: London & South East area: Rowan Tilly - Ph/Fx 01273 625173. Stills photographs: Rob Todd: 07977 275563. Film footage contact above numbers. NOTES TO PICTURE EDITOR 1. Still photographs from Rob Todd 07977 275563 and film footage are available of all stages of the genetiX snowball action on Saturday 27 March. 2. 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. 3. 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, The Strand, London on 19/20 April 1999. 2. The genetiX snowball campaign has now carried out a total of seven actions including these three. 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 for any action. 5. London snowballers included: Bob Phillips, an organic gardner; Jonny Richardson, T-shirt screener; Noah Tucker, a senior social worker, and Rowan Tilly, a woodworker. 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 & South East area: Rowan Tilly - Ph/Fx 01273 625173. Stills photographs: Rob Todd: 07977 275563. Film footage contact above numbers. Manchester: Martin Shaw on 07930 529024