Seven Controversial Arrests Over Logging Helicopter Escalates Debate
2/2/99
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Title: Seven Controversial Arrests Over Logging Helicopter
Escalates Debate
Source: Native Forest Action media release
Status: Copyright 1999, contact source for permission to reprint
Date: February 2, 1999
Byline: Dean Baigent-Mercer
Seven campaigners determined to halt Timberlands West Coast Ltd from
logging rimu and beech forests were today arrested at the Westport
Airport.
Two protesters were locked to the helicopter to prevent the
helicopter from flying: Steve Abel was attached near the rotor blade
by a kryptonite bicycle d-lock, while Bridget Gibb lay flat on her
back with her hands chained together and her arms encased in 4-inch
galvanised piping welded into a 90 degree angle, near the
helicopter's wheel. [all lock-on devices were padded so no damage was
done to the helicopter]
Support people were ordered by Police to leave the tarmac, but
refused through fear for the helicopter-attached protesters' safety.
These people were the first five to be arrested, while other
protesters peacefully moved away.
The d-lock around Steve Abel's neck was cut with boltcutters at
9:25am. At 10am a fire engine arrived and spent nearly an hour
cutting Bridget Gibb free.
"The success of this protest has been in grounding the helicopter for
a day, obstructing Timberlands logging operations in beautiful
forests of centuries-old rimu and beech trees", said NFA spokesperson
Dean Baigent-Mercer.
"This helicopter has enabled Timberlands to gain access to rich
pockets of remote forest that have been protected by their isolation
until now. The helicopter is not an innocent device for plucking
trees like flowers from the garden. It enables the systematic removal
of centuries old rimu and beech trees from our rainforests."
"The logging of what little is left of our public native forests is
the environmental crime of the century. We want our nation to enter
the next millennium with a clean conscience."
"We're doing all we can to end Timberlands native logging operation.
This is what the government should already have done if it listened
to the majority views of New Zealanders. Ten thousand public
submissions at the end of last year made it loud and clear that
native forest logging on public land is not tolerable".
"Timberlands sponges off a taxpayer subsidy, pays a North Island
helicopter company to employ Russian pilots to remove rimu from
Buller forests, which is milled in Hokitika, turned into furniture in
Christchurch and sold at a premium in Auckland."
For further information phone: Dean Baigent-Mercer
03-789-8734