Miami, Florida, April 15, 2002 — Fourteen
Greenpeace activists and a freelance photographer will not face
felony charges arising from Friday’s peaceful protest of illegal
mahogany shipments entering the United States. During an initial
court appearance today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced it
would pursue misdemeanor charges of resisting, opposing, impeding
or interfering with the Coast Guard and boarding a vessel before
arrival. A preliminary hearing date was set for April 29, 2002.
Presiding Judge Ted E. Bandstra said he had no problem allowing
the foreign nationals involved in the protest to return home or
allowing domestic travel for the U.S.-based activists. In allowing
the travel, Judge Bandstra noted, “It is my understanding in the 30
year history of Greenpeace, there has never been a case of someone
not showing up for court. I think that speaks very well for your
organization.” All of the activists will be released later
today.
The FBI arrested 14 Greenpeace protesters and a freelance
photographer on Friday following a peaceful protest to expose a
ship carrying illegal mahogany into the Port of Miami. Calling on
President Bush to return all mahogany shipments from Brazil and to
investigate companies that continue to buy it, Greenpeace activists
in two inflatable boats escorted the ship carrying the illegal
Brazilian mahogany. The activist carried banners that read “Stop
Illegal Logging.” A chartered media boat carried a freelance
photographer who was there to document the peaceful protest. All of
the individuals, including the freelance photographer, spent the
weekend at a federal detention center in Miami.
“This was clearly a peaceful protest to expose an environmental
crime, something that Greenpeace has done for 30 years,” said Mike
Roselle, Greenpeace Forests Campaigns Coordinator. “Importing
Brazilian mahogany is against the law, and using peaceful protest
to right a wrong is a time-honored tradition in this country, not a
felony.”
This is the second time in a year that Greenpeace has been
threatened with felony charges resulting from peaceful
protests.
Last year, 15 Greenpeace activists and two freelance journalists
faced felony charges arising from a peaceful protest against
missile defense. The charges were dropped after all 17 defendants
pled guilty to misdemeanors. Eleven received one-year probation and
no further jail time. The remaining will be sentenced in Los
Angeles later today.
