Lucy Lawless, 'Xena' Actress, Arrested With 5 Greenpeace Activists In Oil-Drilling Ship Protest

WELLINGTON, New Zealand — Police on Monday arrested actress Lucy Lawless and five Greenpeace environmental activists after the group spent four days protesting aboard an oil-drilling ship docked in New Zealand.

Police removed the group from their perch atop a 174-foot (53-meter) drilling tower on the Noble Discoverer in Port Taranaki. Lawless and six activists climbed the tower early Friday in an attempt to raise awareness about oil drilling in the Arctic and prevent the ship from leaving.

One of the activists left the tower Saturday and was initially charged with unlawfully boarding a ship. All seven activists, including Lawless, have now been charged with burglary, a more serious charge. All have been released and are due to appear in a New Zealand court Thursday.

Chartered by oil company Shell, the ship had been due to leave over the weekend for the Arctic to drill five exploratory wells.

Lawless, 43, a native New Zealander, is best known for her title role in the TV series "Xena: Warrior Princess," and more recently for starring in the Starz cable television series "Spartacus."

Lawless spoke to The Associated Press from atop the tower Friday, where she said wind gusts were making it difficult for the group to stay put. She said she felt compelled to take a stand against oil-drilling in the Arctic and against global warming.

"I've got three kids. My sole biological reason for being on this planet is to ensure that they can flourish, and they can't do that in a filthy, degraded environment," she said. "We need to stand up while we still can."

In a series of tweets over the weekend, Lawless described some of the challenges of staying on the tower.

"I found last night pretty darn scary," she wrote. "Not for sissies."

In a release, Rob Jager, Chairman of Shell New Zealand, said the protest had put people in danger and he was pleased it was over. He said he remained disappointed that Greenpeace hadn't taken up the company's offer to engage in a "productive conversation."

Shell spokeswoman Shona Geary said she thought the ship would leave port within the next few days.

Bunny McDiarmid, the chief executive of Greenpeace New Zealand, said she thought the protest had gone "brilliantly" and that more than 100,000 people had sent messages to Shell to oppose the company's Arctic plans.

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Comments

[Gui Montag]

09:23 AM on 02/29/2012

What is this "Xena actress" crap? Everyone knows she's a "Battlestar Galactica" actress.

[Megren]

07:51 PM on 03/08/2012

Seriously? Xena made her famous, not BG.

[Josie728]

01:20 PM on 02/28/2012

Go LUCY!!!! You have just gained another fan; ME!!!!!!

[Hypocrites are Watching]

08:55 AM on 02/28/2012

You know what’s sad many Americans have never even heard of Greenpeace, or Amnesty International heck even simple geography (not involving countries we are at war with)but are well versed in the smear campaign(s) regarding the GOP race or who has the tag team title in wrestling or Oscar winners. Makes me sick!

[rabbitz]

08:26 AM on 02/28/2012

What a waste.

[Jay Raskin]

08:10 AM on 02/28/2012

My Goddess! The oil companies have gone too far this time.

[JoeTheProgrammer]

07:44 AM on 02/28/2012

Lucy really is Lawless.

[Captain Doobie]

07:06 AM on 02/28/2012

Atta girl, Lucy! Doing something for the betterment of this world. How rare.

[sydneymoon]

06:14 AM on 02/28/2012

Go Xena......uh, Lucy.....go!

[DARK STAR]

05:57 AM on 02/28/2012

Good Job Lucy!

[superlive]

05:09 AM on 02/28/2012

"productive conversation"
with a petroleum corporation?

!LOL!

[DeniseDuffieldThomas]

04:35 AM on 02/28/2012

Nice one Lucy!

[luapmi2]

04:14 AM on 02/28/2012

Good for Lucy....make sure she has a comfortable cell.

[jscratz]

03:48 AM on 02/28/2012

I have no idea who she is as I don't watch TV. But I donate to Greenpeace and support the cause. Good for her.
Actions, not rhetoric.

[Hush2001]

03:27 AM on 02/28/2012

It's weird to see her naked, going to town on guys on Spartacus, then talk about her kids and the environment lol. She's great though.

[sviolette]

04:12 AM on 02/28/2012

If you can't separate acting from life you are the weird one.

[Silverfern]

08:55 AM on 02/28/2012

How do you deal with Clooney killing people on screen and then going to Darfur? Is it really that difficult to see the difference?

[Hush2001]

04:37 AM on 02/29/2012

I dont know I dont think I've ever watched a movie with Clooney in it. As for the other comment, I personally couldnt go on screen and pretend to have wild sex and be shown nude, then do normal people stuff knowing people have seen me naked.

[dav0001]

02:58 AM on 02/28/2012

Way to go Lucy!!