FRENCH COMMANDOS CHARGE YACHTS IN PEACEFUL SAIL- BY IN PAPEETE HARBOUR

The four skippers were issued with an infraction notice, escorted by riot police from the dockside to the harbour master's office and threatened with up to ten days jail for "unauthorised movement" in the harbour. French authorities have banned the yachts from leaving Papeete until the case goes to court, possibly next week.

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The four yachts - Joie, Sudden Laughter, Te Kaitoa and Carumba - have been stationed at Moruroa until returning to Papeete over the past fortnight. They began their protest at 8am local time, joined by local Tahitian activists and a group of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islanders. They flew banners saying "Stop Bombing Moruroa" and "Vive le Pacifique".

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"Charging the yachts for sailing around Papeete harbour shows the ridiculous lengths France will go to stop people exercising their democratic right to peacefully protest," Greenpeace spokesperson Janet Dalziell said. "This was a complete over-reaction to what is the maritime equivalent of a parking ticket."

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The skipper of Sudden Laughter, Nigel Joy, said the flotilla boats were determined to carry their protest to the heart of Papeete, and had sailed in formation around the harbour and past a French warship, La Nivose. La Nivose was stationed at Moruroa and was one of the ships harassing the peace fleet. She carried out the boarding of the Greenpeace vessel Manutea on October 3 and the Anna.

Dennis Johnson, skipper of Joie, said the four yachts were representing millions of people around the world opposed to nuclear testing. He said 32 vessels from 12 countries had been stationed at Moruroa over the last month.

"While we cannot stay out at Moruroa forever, we are determined to continue our protest here in Papeete to show our solidarity with the people of French Polynesia, who live with the reality of nuclear testing every day," he said.

Nigel Joy said the yachts, some of which had been at sea for seven weeks, would head home before the start of the hurricane season, but were determined to continue their campaign against nuclear testing when they returned to New Zealand. The delay in the peace yachts' departure from Tahiti will involve considerable extra expense and hardship, as they were due to leave for Rarotonga this week, he said.

Contact: Flotilla yachts via Janet Dalziell, Greenpeace in Papeete +689 433 280 or Stephanie Mills in Auckland on (09) 3776 128 or 025 790 817.