Greenpeace challenges French nuclear industry on Auckland Harbour

Auckland: Greenpeace activists in kayaks protested nuclear company Areva’s involvement in the America’s Cup as DefiAreva left the Viaduct Basin today.

Twelve kayaks created a ‘guard of shame’ and flew banners saying “Keep the cup nuclear-free’ as the French boat left the entrance of the Viaduct Basin to compete in first race of the Louis Vuitton Cup.

“The arrogance of such a dangerous and dirty industry thinking that they can come to nuclear free New Zealand and use this event to promote their business can not go unchallenged,” said Bunny McDiarmid, Greenpeace spokesperson.

“People can put their heads in the sand and pretend Areva is just another sponsor or they can take some responsibility to make sure that the nuclear industry knows that they are not welcome here. This could be as simple as flying a nuclear- free pennant while watching the race,” she said.

It is an Areva company that discharges nuclear waste into the ocean on a daily basis, and it was the same company that shipped plutonium through our region last year despite our Government’s opposition. Areva is also intimately connected with the development of the French nuclear weapons programme through its majority shareholder, the French Atomic Energy Commission.

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