Activists destroy GM vines
Eco-activists have chopped up a trial plot of genetically-modified vines at a research facility in Alsace
A FIELD of genetically-modified vines has been destroyed by eco-activists in Colmar, Alsace.
The trial of the GM plants had restarted in May after the vines were damaged by an activist following a court order halting the trial due to procedural errors.
This time about 60 people, from all over France, took part in the operation in which the vines were dug up and chopped into bits. The activists operated in the early morning, with uncovered faces and even alerted the press.
They were arrested and questioned by police before being released.
The vines had been modified in a bid to make them more resistant to the disease court-noué (fan leaf).
The activists said they had “neutralised” the vines because they were an attempt to impose on the French people unwanted technology that would mainly benefit big biotechnology firms.
Research body INRA, which was running the trial, said: “By attacking this public research work they are spreading fear of environmental risks which do not exist with this trial.
"We are, in complete neutrality, trying to understand the relevance and possible risks of such technology in the fight against court-noué."
The Ecology, Agriculture and Research ministries “strongly condemned” the action in a joint statement.
BrunoJ Fotolia.com
