Greenpeace activists have chained themselves to the decks of a ship in Wellington this morning preventing it from heading offshore in search of oil. Five protesters stormed the NIWA climate and ocean research boat, Tangaroa, which they said has been refitted at a cost of $24million dollars for oil and gas exploration. Three have locked themselves to the top of its mast, while a further two are secured to the deck.
A group of five Greenpeace activists who chained themselves to the decks of a climate research ship have been convicted and discharged.
The protesters stormed the Niwa climate and ocean research boat Tangaroa while it was berthed in Wellington in November last year.
They claimed the ship had been refittedat a cost of $24 million for oil and gas exploration, and had been chartered by petroleum giant Chevron to survey for oil in New Zealand waters.
Siana Fitzjohn, Kailas Wild, Adrian Sanders, Genevieve Toop and Niamh O'Flynn were charged with being unlawfully on a vessel.
The were convicted and discharged in Auckland District Court today.
