The Express September 21, 2000  

DAILY EXPRESS LEADER 
GM farce is no joke 

The Daily Express has never condoned direct action against genetically
modified crops. But the Norwich Crown Court verdict yesterday, which
saw Greenpeace's Lord Melchett and his team cleared of criminal damage
after destroying trial GM crops, reduces the Government's policy on GM
testing to a farce. The Greenpeace activists had already previously
been cleared of theft of crops. What was really on trial here was GM.
No jury is going to convict protesters when they too share concerns
about such produce being grown in this country. Already, GBP 250,000
of taxpayers' money has been wasted bringing these activists to court.
Surely the Government does not need any more show trials to get the
message? It must learn a sharp lesson from this verdict, rethink its
policy and ban GM testing - at least until the risk of
cross-contamination can be eradicated.