Greenpeace protesters sentenced after Calgary Tower stunt
Posted Aug 5, 2011 7:01 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Seven Greenpeace protesters now have criminal records following a stunt last summer, where they hung a huge banner on the Calgary Tower that read, “Separate Oil and State.”
Six protesters from Canada and another from Belgium have each been fined $2,300 after they pled guilty to mischief in June.
Greenpeace spokesperson Mike Hudema says in a country like Canada this punishment doesn’t make sense.
“This type of political protest, good people standing up for something they believe in, which benefits all of us. That’s something that should be encouraged in a democratic society, not condemened and criminalized.” said Hudema
Crown prosecutor Jonathan Hak says the sentence confirms it’s unacceptable to go onto private property and risk your own danger, as well as that of firefighters to send a political message.
Greenpeace also says the activists were mistreated during their time at the Calgary Remand Centre, saying they were verbally abused and faced unnecessary body searches.
