Armed Russian officers in balaclavas stormed the Greenpeace ship “Arctic Sunrise” in the Barents Sea, seizing the vessel and holding 29 activists at gunpoint.  At least two Kiwis are among the group, as are Canadians and Brits.  Greenpeace says its vessel was in international waters, making the raid a violation of international law.

One guy had the guts to protest the raid in Moscow.

It comes a day after four Greenpeace members tried to board a Russian Gazprom oil platform to prevent it from drilling, an act the Russians claim “threatened people's lives and could lead to environmental catastrophe in the Arctic with unpredictable consequences.”  Greenpeace says it is Gazprom’s first attempt to drill in the region that threatens a unique and fragile environment.

The Russians rappelled down from helicopters, commando-style according to Greenpeace Arctic Campaign Coordinator Christy Ferguson. 

“This was a peaceful protest against reckless industrial activity in the Arctic,” said Ferguson from Toronto.

“Russian authorities have responded with extreme aggression and force.  They've pointed guns at people, they've pointed knives at people.  They're arresting people and holding them without information in international waters.”

The state Interfax news agency says the “Arctic Sunrise” will be brought to port in Murmansk to be searched.