Deep sea oil protest skipper due in Tauranga court

Tuesday, 18 October 2011, 4:12 pm
Press Release: Greenpeace New Zealand

Deep sea oil protest skipper due in Tauranga court on same day as Rena captain

Tuesday 18th October, 2011, Auckland: The skipper of the te Whānau-ā-Apanui fishing boat San Pietro, is scheduled to appear at the District Court in Tauranga at 10am tomorrow (19th October), on charges relating to a protest off the East Cape against deep sea oil drilling in April this year.

In a strange twist of fate his appearance comes on the very same morning that the captain of the Rena is due to also appear in court.

Elvis Teddy, the skipper of the San Pietro, was arrested in April while protesting against plans by Brazilian oil giant Petrobras to drill for oil at depths of up to 3100 metres off the East Cape. He will be in court for a status hearing.

“It’s an ironic twist of fate that on the day the Rena’s captain is in court that another skipper is in the same court for trying to save New Zealanders from having to face a far worse oil spill, that could come as a result of deep sea oil drilling,” says Nathan Argent, Greenpeace NZ Climate Campaigner.

Representatives from Greenpeace NZ, and te Whānau-ā-Apanui, will be outside the court from 8:30 am. There will be a press conference after Teddy’s appearance.

Ends

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