Greenpeace says blocks US war cargo in Dutch port
Date: 24-Feb-03
Country: NETHERLANDS
The environmental group sailed its Rainbow Warrior protest ship alongside the freight ship to stop it from leaving Rotterdam, the world's biggest port, to the Gulf, Greenpeace said on its Web site, www.greenpeace.org.
Activists in three rubber dinghies also tried to board the cargo ship, MVAS Progress, but were stopped by police, it said. A Rotterdam police spokesman told Reuters 10 activists had been arrested for trespassing in a secure area around the ship.
"We have been here since seven this morning and already many activists have been arrested, but the Rainbow Warrior is holding its position and we are blocking the ship from leaving the port and heading to war," the organisation's Web site said.
However, Greenpeace spokeswoman Maartje van Boekel said given the cargo ship's size and the harbour's layout it would be difficult for the Rainbow Warrior to stop the ship leaving port.
The Netherlands this week gave the green light for the United States to use its ports, airports and railways to move troops and equipment.
Its support for Washington's Iraq policy stands in stark contrast to some of its European Union partners, in particular neighbours France and Germany.
Greenpeace, which said 25 of its activists from 12 countries took part in the protest, attacked the Dutch government for "missing no opportunity to help the United States prepare for war".
Dutch Defence Ministry spokesman Joop Veen said the authorities never announced ahead of time when such a vessel would leave. He could not say whether the Greenpeace action had delayed the ship's departure.
