Police were waiting in advance but couldn’t contain the several hundred, diverse group who arrived, climbed the fence, and began uprooting the plants. Around 40 people were arrested.

The video below shows a montage of similar events that take place in Europe.

~Health Freedoms

Protesters destroy controversial field trial

May 29, 2011

Protesters have destroyed a controversial GM field trial in Belgium.

In Wetteren, a municipality in the Belgian province of East Flanders, activists succeeded in damaging the GM potatoes being trialled for blight resistance, despite a large contingent of police officers who had been ordered to guard the GM trial. The officers were unable to stop the 300-400 or more peaceful protesters of all ages, who included local people.

During the protest organized by the Belgian Field Liberation Movement (FLM) – an informal collective consisting of farmers, scientists, consumers, and environmental activists, protesters climbed over a high fence and pulled up GM potato plants. The trial was also allegedly sprayed with herbicide. Some 40 people were arrested.

The non-violent direct action had been announced in advance with the FLM saying they planned to remove the GM potatoes and replant the field with non-GM blight resistant potatoes in a peaceful and public manner.

A sympathetic farmer was quoted as saying, “They [the GM lobby] talk a lot about farmers, but we are never heard. This type of action strengthens us and seems like the only way forward for consumers and small producers who are independent of powerful interest groups like big agribusiness.”

European protests against genetically modified crops.

Source:

http://www.foodfirst.org/en/GMO+potato+field+destroyed

7 Comments »

Thumper says:

June 18, 2011 at 8:13 pm

I love it. If this is the only way to stop this insanity of GM agribusiness, so be it.
Kevin Alen says:

June 18, 2011 at 9:54 pm

Great to see ordinary folks confronting the corrupt, greedy, profit above safety and health, corp’s like Monsanto. We need more of that direct challenge spirit here in the, rapidly degenerating, head in the sand USA. Here the corruption and political influence is well entrenched. The shit we get shoved down the throats of average Americans is beyond belief.
This Government has been promoting death through our food supply for decades.
Thanks for the needed inspiration and keep vigilant. Only courage and determination can stop these bastards.
.. says:

June 19, 2011 at 4:06 am

Let’s see a million man march on Monsanto, the FDA and Michael Taylor office! C’mon people! Sleep a day longer and its over for America.
guestresponder says:

June 19, 2011 at 11:51 am

Good for them. We are going to need more people protesting and standing up for our
rights.
lisa says:

June 19, 2011 at 4:12 pm

What a shame that AMERICANS are too Dam dumb and they dont do the same!
Louis says:

June 20, 2011 at 10:51 am

I’m from Belgium. Very brave people, BUT, de MSM reported this event as being an attack of hooligans. Only the view point of the crop owners, a pro-GMO politician and the spokes man of the collaborating university was shown on TV. In short, corporate propaganda on national TV, just terrible. The ones protecting our future are criminals, the ones who destroy our right to non-GMO food are the poor victims in need of protection. An up side down world indeed …
Emily says:

July 10, 2011 at 10:04 am

Much gratitude to these folks and anyone and everyone who refuses to stand by and let Monsanto poison our food supply! Thank you!!!