SYDNEY: Xena Warrior Princess television star Lucy Lawless joined a group of activists in New Zealand in demonstrating and preventing a oil drilling ship from leaving the country. Lawless and 6 other Greenpeace supporters on Friday boarded the Noble Discoverer as it prepared to depart the port of Taranaki, in central North Island, for the Alaskan coast, where it was to drill oil wells. Lawless said she was acting to protect the planet. “Deep-sea oil drilling is bad enough, but venturing into the Arctic, one of the most magical places on the planet, is going too far,” the New Zealand-based actress said. The protesters unfurled anti-oil drilling banners and said they were equipped to occupy the ship for some time. Police have arrested one protester and are talking to port authorities about what actions to take. A spokeswoman from oil giant Shell, which has contracted the ship, said the company is disappointed over the protesters' actions, which have put ship's crew in danger. New Zealand was hit by a large oil spill late last year and tensions between activists and the oil industry have been high in recent months, with activists calling on the government to ensure complete environmental protection before allowing ships to drill for oil. BM ShortURL: http://goo.gl/UMO0H Tags: Lucy Lawless, New Zealand, Oil, Shell, Xena Section: Entertainment, Environment, Going Green, Latest News, Oceana
