Greenpeace protesters return home

Two Greenpeace protesters returned to New Zealand after being in prison for two months in Russia. On September 18th, a group of 30 protesters tried to climb onto a Russian oil rig in the Arctic to protest about drilling for oil in this area. They say that oil drilling is too dangerous to the environment in the Arctic. The Greenpeace protesters come from many countries including two New Zealanders.

They were all arrested and sent to prison. Last month they were allowed out of prison but had to stay in St Petersburg for the next 5 weeks. Finally they got their exit visas on Christmas Day so that they could leave Russia.

The two New Zealanders arrived in Auckland yesterday and are pleased to be home.

Vocabulary

  • Greenpeace – an organization which wants to protect a green environment
  • protesters – also called ‘activists’; people who try to stop activities which they feel are wrong
  • oil rig – platform in the sea where they drill for oil

Questions

1. Why does Greenpeace think that oil drilling is dangerous in the Arctic environment?
2. What is an exit visa?
3. Russia is the host of the Winter Olympics in February. Do you think this could be one reason the protesters were allowed to go home? What other reasons are there?