Greenpeace says 4 Hurt in Philippines Coal Protest
Date: 11-Nov-05
Country: PHILIPPINES
Police detained a dozen other activists, charging them with "illegal trespassing" for forcing their way into the plant compound during a climate change protest in Masinloc town, about 150 km (95 miles) northwest of Manila.
A local court freed them without bail after nearly 8 hours in detention.
"This is outrageous," said Red Constantino, Greenpeace's Southeast Asia energy campaigner. "We demand the secretary of energy exercise responsibility over the act of violence and the continued expansion of coal plants in the country."
A German protester, Jens Loewe, was taken to hospital after he was hit on the head with a crowbar several times after the activists landed on the shore of the plant compound in inflatable boats, local reporters at the scene said.
There was no statement from the management of the power plant and officials declined to comment.
"We were planting mangrove trees when they came," said one worker at the plant, who asked not to be named. "We thought they would only talk to us but they forced their way in."
Constantino said Greenpeace was in Masinloc to draw attention to Australian and Japanese backing of the expansion of the use of coal in Asia to generate electricity.
Security personnel fired gunshots into the air and some workers hurled stones at the activists, witnesses said.
