Court proceedings start againstanti-GM squatters

04 June 1998

Court proceedings start against
anti-GM squatters

By FWi staff

ECO-warriors occupying a genetically modified sugar-beet crop in Norfolk will be in court at Norwich tomorow (5 June) as proceedings begin to have them evicted.

The protesters moved into the GM trial site, at Kirby Bedon, several weeks ago and pledged to stay a month. At the same time the entire trial site – some 2,000 GM beet plants – were destroyed.

The protesters denied all responsibility for destroying the crop and life sciences group Novartis, which rents the plot, admitted it had no proof linking the crops destruction with the activists.

This weekend the protesters, who are not members of any established anti-GMO group, are planning to stage a play at their makeshift camp involving a dance group which has taken up the cause.

The eviction proceedings are expected to take several weeks to reach a stage where police can move in and clear the site.