from Stuff
Oil giant Anadarko was “trespassed” from New Zealand by a 300-strong protest crowd in central Wellington on Friday afternoon.
Crowds marched from Midland Park to Anadarko’s office in Customhouse Quay, presenting a trespass petition at the company’s doors.
The notice accused Anadarko of atrocities to the environment and communities worldwide, contributing to climate change, corruption and suppressing human rights.
Anadarko is due to start exploratory seismic surveying in the Pegasus Basin, Canterbury Basin and Taranaki Basin.
Its ship MV Duke arrived in Wellington on Wednesday and departed on Friday, and was the immediate subject of a protest by Oil Free Wellington, whose members swam to the ship and decorated it with a protest banner.
Friday’s march organiser, Emma Moon of Oil Free Wellington, said the hundreds-strong turnout proved Wellingtonians were passionate about stopping Anadarko’s exploration.
“It’s a symbolic message we’re sending.
“We hope they will heed our words and see how much opposition there is to deep sea drilling.”
Protester Rosalind Atkinson was part of the protest flotilla off the Taranaki coast in November.
Her passion for sailing and the sea drew her to Friday’s trespass petition.
“It doesn’t have to be this way. Deep sea oil is a real violation of life. It’s just crazy greed.”
