TAHITI: TAHITIANS TURN BASTILLE DAY INTO A CARNIVAL OF ANTI-FRANCE AND ANTI-NUCLEAR PROTESTS

Record ID: 921587

  • Title: TAHITI: TAHITIANS TURN BASTILLE DAY INTO A CARNIVAL OF ANTI-FRANCE AND ANTI-NUCLEAR PROTESTS
  • Date: 18th May 2015
  • Summary: PAPEETE, TAHITI (JULY 14, 1995) (RTV SLV CANOES COVERED IN VEGETATION PADDLING OUT TO GREET GREENPEACE VESSEL RAINBROW WARRIOR SLV GREENPEACE VESSEL RAINBOW WARRIOR / PAN TO CANOES SV RAINBOW WARRIER / BANNER (2 SHOTS) SLV BOATS ALONGSIDE RAINBOW WARRIOR / BANNER ON BOAT 'NON A LA BOMBE' (NO TO THE BOMB) (2 SHOTS) SV RAINBOW WARRIOR AT DOCKSIDE/ CA
  • Embargoed: 6th July 2005 16:50
  • Keywords:
  • Location: PAPEETE, TAHITI
  • Country: French Polynesia
  • Topics: Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA61WXBZDO444JEVBTWIRXW61JF
  • Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  • Story Text: Thousands of Tahitians turned Bastille Day into a carnival of anti-France and anti-nuclear protests on Friday (July 14) as the Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior made a triumphant return to the island.

    The crew paddled ashore in canoes and on rafts festooned with greenery and flowers to be greeted by about 5,000 cheering supporters in Papeete, the capital of French Polynesia.

    The crowds joined much of the rest of the Pacific in trying to spoil Bastille Day -- France's national day -- in protest against the decision to resume nuclear testing.

    Greenpeace activists and local pro-independence leader Oscar Temaru pledged they would return to protest at the French nuclear test site at Mururoa Atoll, where commandos using tear gas stormed the Rainbow Warrior last Sunday.

    "The entire world has seen what's happened on the atoll at Mururoa, but our mission is not finished yet," said Temaru, weighed down by garlands of flowers and leaves around his neck.

    "We'll use all means to prevent resumption of nuclear testing on the atoll at Mururoa," he said.

    A carnival atmosphere prevailed as demonstrators swayed to the rhythm of traditional songs of welcome for the Rainbow Warrior and its crew.

    A sea of blue and white independence flags greeted Temaru and the Greenpeace crew and well-wishers tossed garlands of white flowers from the quayside.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register