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Protesters decontaminate the UK's last remaining GM potato trial.

Digger | 07.07.2007 11:21 | Bio-technology | Ecology | Cambridge

During the night of Friday 6th July, a group of activists converged on Britain's last remaining GM trial site just outside Cambridge. They scaled the security fences and destroyed the crop of genetically modified potatoes.

The potato plants were already flowering, spreading genetic contagion into the surrounding countryside.

A similar trial planned in Hull was abandoned earlier this year after a strong campaign and massive concern from nearby farmers. With the destruction of the Cambridge crop, Britain is once again GM free.

Public concern and demonstrations had failed to sway NIAB, the National Institute for Agriculture and Botany, who are carrying out the five-year trial on behalf of BASF, a multinational chemical corporation. Many feel that if corporations refuse to listen to public opinion it is necessary to take direct action.

Friday's action follows the latest in a series of protests, on the previous Sunday (July 1st), when demonstrators marched on the potato field. On that occasion, they were met by overwhelming numbers of police and two participants were arrested.

This time, however, no such obstacles were met, and the activists were able to successfully decontaminate the field.

If this trial had been allowed to run full term it could have led to a whole new generation of GM crop trials in this country. Friday night's events show that public concern about GM food and willingness to take direct action to keep Britain GM free remain high.

Digger


Comments

Hide the following 7 comments

Biotech Scum Not Welcome!!!

07.07.2007 16:33

Seriously Well Done,

The UK is once again GM free, hopefully BASF will get the message that that is how things are going to stay. Congrats to everyone involved.

Restistance is fertile!

bambino


night time vist

08.07.2007 15:55

well done to the pixies involved.....can we afford to lose people to the long dragged out court system with public called actions?, when it seems we are running out of time?
i have been involved many acountable actions to show the public we need to and can change the path we are going down.(climate, gm etc). but they don't seem to be noticing...

hit those that profit from eco destruction where they care in the pocket....

red


Tattie Bye !!

08.07.2007 18:25

You wonderful people, thank you so much for giving you time love and physical effort to remove these disgusting plants.

BASF are you listening? No GM potatoes not now and not at any time, you are wasting your shareholders money. Plant 'em again and they'll be destroyed again. "GET ORF OF OUR LAND"

Bill


Brilliant!

09.07.2007 12:59

Well done you lot, whoever you are! Very inspiring, and thanks for making the UK GM-free again! More of this sort of thing....if BASF (or whoever) come back, we'll do it again!

Spud Murphy


Rah

10.07.2007 22:51

A truly good and magnificent feat. May your chips be always warm, repleat with vinegar and accompanied by optional dipping hummous.

Western pommedeterre


Just wondering...

24.07.2007 08:51

How exactly did you get rid of the potatoes? Potatoes are notoriously difficult to eradicate without chemicals or disease.

Little "rambler" seed tubers get missed easily. Destroying the plants alone would be just a symbolic gesture.

Farmer Palmer


Groovy

31.07.2007 17:23

keep it up my children.

Jesus H Christ


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