After over a week of action to demand an end to a deep sea drilling project in New Zealand, police and military arrived to intervene with the activists blocking the operation of Brazilian drilling company Petrobras.
On Sunday morning, Greenpeace activists joined local Maori tribe, te Whanau a Apanui in a peaceful direct action to force Petrobras' seismic survey vessel Orient Explorer off course in the Raukumara Basin, and disrupting it's deep sea oil survey work. For eight days preceding the arrival of the military and police forces, the floatilla was under surveillance by an Airforce Orion.
The Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras was awarded an $118 million, five-year permit last June by the New Zealand government. Petrobras was conducting seismic studies of the area to find liquefied natural gas in hopes of carrying out the dangerous deep sea drilling we've heard so much about recently.
The activists could be facing severe legal consequences but are currently holding their position and demanding an end to deep sea drilling in the Raukūmara Basin.
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Follow the news about the activists aboard the flotilla opposing deep sea oil drilling off the coast of New Zealand.