Police board ship to end protest

Ministry of Defence police boarded and towed away a Greenpeace protest ship last night that was blockading Marchwood military port, Southampton.

The Rainbow Warrior had been stationed at the port since Monday in an attempt to stop supply ships carrying military hardware getting to the Gulf.

Greenpeace protester Melanie Hill said that 21 police ran a tug up to the boat at 10pm, boarded and said they were taking it over. A stand-off ensued after she and other protesters blockaded themselves in the bridge.

"We think this is an abuse of power. They ordered us to leave, we didn't comply," Ms Hill said. "They're currently using a welder to try to cut through our anchor."

A Royal Navy spokesman said police from the Ministry of Defence and Hampshire boarded the vessel to put a pilot on board or attach lines to the Admiralty tug Powerful, which would then drag the Rainbow Warrior away.

The navy spokesman said the vessel was being taken to "a place of safety at a berth in Southampton's commercial port" and its removal would allow a military supply ship, Dart 8, to leave the port for the Gulf.

"We have given the Rainbow Warrior ample opportunity to follow the directives under the terms of the Merchant Shipping Act. Their clear intention was to stay where they were," the spokesman said.

During the week the protesters had blocked radio traffic, he said, and claimed their activities in trying to block vessels coming in and out of port had been "dangerous and irresponsible".

On Thursday night the protesters boarded and clung to a supply ship, the MV Lyra, which was loading equipment bound for the Gulf, before bad weather forced them to abandon their efforts.