Israeli police arrest Greenpeace Rainbow Warrior Captain on Quit Coal protest

8.9.2008
ASHKELON, Israel [Greenpeace International], tel: +972 546 807 887

The Israeli police, guided by the navy, have arrested the captain of the Greenpeace ship the Rainbow Warrior, Daniel Rizzotti, following a peaceful direct in which two activists painted “Quit Coal”, in English and Hebrew, on the hull of a ship unloading coal to the Ashkelon power plant. The activists along with another 12 crew and passengers, including a photographer and camera man were arrested earlier today.

Marking the launch of a four month “quit coal” ship tour, the Rainbow Warrior, will tour the Mediterranean and Europe. Today, Greenpeace called on the Israeli government to abandon its plan to build a new coal power plant in Ashkelon.(1)

“This overreaction to a peaceful protest makes you wonder where the government’s priorities really are” said Nili Grossman, Greenpeace Mediterranean campaigner. “The real threat is the new coal power plant they want to build at Ashkelon. Climate change is the greatest threat the world has ever faced and coal is by far the worst offender. It has no place here.”

This autumn, the Greenpeace ships the Rainbow Warrior and the Arctic Sunrise, are bringing the "Quit Coal" message to the Mediterranean and Europe. The tour from Israel to Poland is happening in the run-up to crucial UN climate negotiations in Poznan, Poland this December. Quitting coal is an essential step in a meaningful deal to save the Climate. European governments have a real chance to show leadership by phasing-out coal in their own countries.

Greenpeace's Energy [R]evolution scenario shows how renewable energy, combined with greater energy efficiency, can cut global CO2 emissions by 50%, and deliver half the world's energy needs by 2050 (2).

ENDS

*Notes:
*
1. Thousands of Israelis have expressed their opposition to the new
Ashkelon coal plant. Greenpeace is urging people to send in official
objections at www.greenpeace.org.il <http://www.greenpeace.org.il> <http://www.greenpeace.org.il>
2. www.greenpeace.org/energyrevolution <http://www.greenpeace.org/energyrevolution>
<http://www.greenpeace.org/energyrevolution>

*Contacts:
*
Jo Kuper – Greenpeace International Communications, on board the Rainbow
Warrior + 873 324 453 510 / +31 6 46 16 20 39

Agnes de Rooij, Greenpeace International climate and energy campaigner,
on board the Rainbow Warrior + 873 324 453 510/+972 575 834 964

Nili Grossman, Greenpeace Mediterranean climate and energy campaigner
+972 546 807 887

Greenpeace International press desk +31 207 18 2470

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