Protest fleet delays nuclear submarine

Press, 10 November 1983, Page 1

Protest fleet delays nuclear submarine

PA Auckland A small fleet of protesters forced the nuclearpowered submarine U.S.S. Phoenix to stop near the entrance to Waitemata Harbour yesterday morning. For two minutes the United States submarine was motionless as police in inflatable dinghies cleared a path for her. The Phoenix then idled unimpeded to her anchorage off the Auckland wharves.

The police arrested two persons during an hour-long confrontation. One was the skipper of the anti-nuclear vessel Greenpeace 111. The police said the pair would face charges of obstruction.

At least two protest vessels capsized and other boats were nudged and shunted during the confrontation.

A man who was aboard a yacht in the protest fleet has laid a complaint of assault against the police. Mr Sean Bolt, aged 25, of Northcote, claims he was hit on the head with a pole by a policeman.

Chief Superintendent A. G. Berriman said that police vessels had suffered minor damage.

The crews of several vessels complained that the police had backed into their paths or shunted them aside with unnecessary force. Four protesters leapt into the sea in the path of the Phoenix, although none was in real danger. They were quickly plucked from the water by the police. One of them, Ms Sue Henderson, a mother of three, of Waiheke Island, said she and a fellow member of the Waiheke Peace Group, Ms Michelle Atkins, had jumped into/the water as a protest ’ against ’ the spread of nuclear power. Yachts, runabouts, launches, dinghies, kayaks,

and windsurfers made up a protest fleet of about 80 craft. For much of the time they were kept in check by about 100 police in 15 inflatable dinghies and about 20 other vessels.

Mr Berriman said, “We say it was a very successful operation. The protest activity was of a lesser degree than previously.”

He said one or two protest craft had touched the submarine, but he doubted the vessel would have suffered damage. The boat organiser of the Peace Squadron, Mr Rex Le Grice, estimated 115 yachts took part in the protest. ■ “The protest was a strong one,” he said. “The Peace Squadron did the best it could to show New Zealanders, and perhaps the world,

the abhorrence we have for the intrusion into our harbour of nuclear military machinery.” The Phoenix, which is visiting Auckland for five days, entered the Rangitoto Channel about 8.30 a.m. Twenty-five vessels, including Navy and fisheries patrol boats, escorted her into Waitemata Harbour.

At dawn protesters had hung banners on bridges over Auckland motorways, exhorting motorists to sound horns as a sign of protest against the visit of the Phoenix. Thousands responded. About 600 protesters marched along Queen Street at lunchtime in a generally well behaved demonstration against the visit of the Phoenix.