Press releases-GREENPEACE FURTHER HIT BY BP LEGAL ACTION AFTER ASSETS FROZEN, 19 August 1997

GREENPEACE FURTHER HIT BY BP LEGAL ACTION AFTER ASSETS FROZEN 19 August 1997 Greenpeace, already hit by a Ł1.4m damages claim from BP, has criticised further 'bully-boy' tactics being employed by BP to try and gag its campaigning activities and to prevent legitimate protest about environmental concerns. The environmental group has vowed to fight on with its campaign to stop climate change and to get oil companies to invest in solar power. This campaign continues despite a Scottish court's decision at Edinburgh Court of Session today (19 August) to grant the oil company's request for an interim interdict (Scottish injunction) against Greenpeace disrupting, 'by unlawful means', activities carried out at the Foinaven oil field, west of Shetland. The BP oil field was where Greenpeace's occupation of Stena Dee - an oil-drilling platform - ended in acrimony on Sunday afternoon with the arrest of four Greenpeace activists. " We will abide by the interdict but we will continue to oppose new oil exploration in Foinaven and elsewhere," said Chris Rose, Deputy Executive Director of Greenpeace UK. " A world-wide campaign is needed to phase out fossil fuels to avert climate change. Already Greenpeace is active in the Arctic documenting climate change and protesting against oil companies endangering a pristine ocean wilderness. Protests against BP have also occurred in Germany." " BP is one of the richest oil companies in the world and is using its resources to stifle free and open discussion about environmental dangers that will affect us all," said Rose. " BP is revealing its true colours - it only cares about money, not the environment that we live in." " Is it purely coincidence BP has chosen this time to act? Probably not. They are one of 21 oil companies, who with the Government, are opposing our application in September for a judicial review investigating the legality of oil exploration licenses in the Atlantic Frontier." So far BP has targeted Greenpeace by... Singling out the Captain of MV Greenpeace, Jon Castle, a man who has devoted many years to environmental campaigning, in separate court actions (due to be heard 2pm Friday 22 August) which carry possible penalties of imprisonment and/or fines. Having Greenpeace's assets frozen as it pursues a Ł1.4 million damages claim. Blocking Greenpeace from returning to the Foinaven oil field. Pursuing legal action for over Ł1m against named individual campaigners FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Greenpeace Press Office on +44 (0)171-865 8255/6/7/8 Notes to Correspondents STATEMENT BY CHRIS ROSE, DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - GREENPEACE UK "As a result of today's court proceedings in Edinburgh: Myself, Sarah Burton, Jon Castle and Greenpeace Ltd are constrained by an interim interdict from physically interfering with the Foinaven oil field run by BP and (28%) Shell. The court, however, agreed to drop Liz Pratt from the petition on the grounds that she was not acting in an executive capacity for Greenpeace UK. Jon Castle, skipper of the MV Greenpeace (now going into Amsterdam) is to appear in court in Edinburgh on Friday to face charges of breaching an interdict not to interfere with the Stena Dee oil drilling platform, even though activists voluntarily left this platform on Sunday and the Aberdeen court fined four activists on Monday - this seems vindictive as it could end in a jail sentence or heavy fine, and seems to be BP pursuing a vendetta against Jon Castle The attempt to get Ł1.4m of Greenpeace's money, and the personal money of Chris Rose, Sarah Burton, Liz Pratt and Jon Castle continues, with around Ł300,000 of Greenpeace's money frozen in the Co-Op Bank as of yesterday. We believe this is intended as a punitive move to stymie our legal and financial resources before the September 23/24 High Court hearing on a Judicial Review of environmental protection in the whole of the Atlantic Frontier oil province (on grounds that the UK Government has not properly considered the EU Habitats Directive - this is opposed by DTI and 21 oil companies including BP). Greenpeace has 21 days to advise the court whether it intends to defend itself."