Day 272 - 02 Jul 96 - Page 44


     
     1   Q.   You would request copies from Veggies to be sent to London
     2        Greenpeace?
     3        A.   Yes.
     4
     5   Q.   I want to read out something from the London Greenpeace
     6        fact sheet to ask if you agree with it.  I can read it
     7        out.  You do not have to look at it, but it is actually the
     8        last paragraph of the London Greenpeace fact sheet, the
     9        subject of action.  It says:
    10
    11        "Who made this leaflet."
    12        A.   Yes.
    13
    14   Q.  "The London Greenpeace group has existed for many years as
    15        an independent group of activists with no involvement in
    16        any particular political party.  The people, not 'members',
    17        who come to the weekly open meetings share a concern for
    18        the oppression in our lives and the destruction of our
    19        environment.  Many opposition movements are growing in
    20        strength, ecological, anti-war, animal libertarian and
    21        anarchist libertarian movements, and continually learning
    22        from each other.  We encourage people to think and act
    23        independently without leaders to try to understand the
    24        causes of oppression and to aim for its abolition through
    25        social revolution.  This begins in our own lives now."
    26
    27        Is that something you would agree with?
    28        A.   Yes.
    29
    30   Q.   Or disagree with?
    31        A.   I agree with that, yes.
    32
    33   MS. STEEL:  Yes, I think this is the last question.  Mr.
    34        Gravett, you got a writ from McDonald's, you were one of
    35        the people who originally got a writ from McDonald's, and
    36        in 1991 an apology was entered on your behalf for the
    37        criticisms made in the London Greenpeace fact sheet?
    38        A.   Yes.
    39
    40   Q.   Did you -- well, why did you make that --
    41
    42   MR. JUSTICE BELL:   Why not simply ask why?
    43
    44   MS. STEEL:  Yes, why did you make that apology?
    45        A.   I made the apology because at the time we were given
    46        legal advice that the case, we would never get the case to
    47        court because we did not have the financial resources to do
    48        so, we could not get legal aid, we could not get
    49        barristers, and without barristers it was unthinkable to
    50        fight a libel case on your own.  That was the main reason.
    51        And if we lost the case at a later stage we would be liable
    52        for costs and whatever damages the Judge decided and we
    53        could be bankrupted.  That is what we were told and that is
    54        why I apologised.  I did not apologise because I thought
    55        the leaflet was lies.
    56
    57   Q.   What was your view about the leaflet at that time?
    58        A.   Well, my view of the leaflet was, as it is now, that I
    59        would stand by it, you know, I think it is accurate.
    60

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