The rainbow warrior
As a result of the protests in New Zealand, Greenpeace sent the Rainbow Warrior to protest the nuclear testing in the Pacific. The protest ship never made it there because on July 10 1985 the French bombed the ship. The bombing was considered a New Zealand disaster because of the death of a crew member. This shook the New Zealand public as Marsden Wharf in Auckland is very easily accessible and if the bombs had had more force then a member of the public could have been injured or killed. The French initially denied playing any part in the bombing but after it became obvious the French Prime Minister, Laurent Fabius stated on national television "Agents of the DGSE (Secret Service) sank this boat. They acted on orders."
Two French agents were trialed and convicted, Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart, they received sentences of 7 and 10 years, although due to a United Nations agreement they were to carry out their sentences in Hao Atoll which is a French military base in French Polynesia. As a result of this they were both released within two years.
Although this was an attack on Greenpeace, an international organisation, New Zealander's felt like it was an attack on their country as this was the first act of state-sponsored terrorism that had occurred in New Zealand. The bombing of the Rainbow Warrior was a significant event leading up to the signing of the legislation and gave New Zealander’s a push to want to go nuclear-free, which resulted in more support in anti-nuclear protests.
Two French agents were trialed and convicted, Dominique Prieur and Alain Mafart, they received sentences of 7 and 10 years, although due to a United Nations agreement they were to carry out their sentences in Hao Atoll which is a French military base in French Polynesia. As a result of this they were both released within two years.
Although this was an attack on Greenpeace, an international organisation, New Zealander's felt like it was an attack on their country as this was the first act of state-sponsored terrorism that had occurred in New Zealand. The bombing of the Rainbow Warrior was a significant event leading up to the signing of the legislation and gave New Zealander’s a push to want to go nuclear-free, which resulted in more support in anti-nuclear protests.