Thousands protest deep sea oil drilling

Thousands turned out on New Zealand beaches today to voice their opposition to deep sea oil drilling.

The "Banners on the Beach" campaign targeted more than 45 North Island west coast beaches as well as a few on the east coast and in the South Island.

Organised by a coalition of groups, it coincided with a continuing protest by the Oil Free Seas Flotilla about 100 nautical miles off the coast of Raglan, where oil giant Anadarko intend to start drilling what at 1500 metres would be New Zealand's deepest exploratory oil well.

Greenpeace sponsored yacht Vega has breached a safety exclusion zone where the exploration ship Noble Bob Douglas is making preparations to start drilling.

Organisers of today’s beach protest said the largest crowd was at Piha where more than 1000 gathered with banners for speeches and a haka.

An estimated 650 people turned up at Raglan, with 400 at Muriwai and 500 at Bethells Beach.

Greenpeace Climate Campaigner Steve Abel said  turnout sent a strong message.

‘‘Today Kiwis have drawn a line in the sand saying quite clearly they don’t want deep sea oil drilling in New Zealand waters.’’