On September 19, 2013, 30 men and women aboard Green Peace’s ship Arctic Sunrise were seized by Russian Federal Security Service agents for attempting to climb onto a Gazpam owned oil rig. Arctic Sunrises’ mission was to peacefully protesting against drilling in the arctic sea. The Arctic Sunrise had arrived a day prior to the site of Prirazlomnaya, the first oil rig to start oil production in the Arctic. On September 18, 2013 members of the Arctic Sunrise team boarded inflatables and attempted to climb onto the rig to make their presence known. A nearby Russian Coast Guard vessel and security on board the rig launched an immediate attack, including several gun shots and the release of water cannons to abate the intrusion. Two of the Green Peace activists were seized by the Coast Guard without communication or explanation. The following day the Coast Guard returned blank and blank once a helicopter team sent by the Russian Federation Security Service (FSB) was in place to board and seize the entire vessel.
A statement from Green Peace rep Kumi blank, “Our ship was arrested during an entirely peaceful protest against Arctic drilling in international waters. There was absolutely no justification either for boarding the ship or keeping her for eight months.This whole affair was a brazen attempt to intimidate those who believe that drilling for oil in the melting Arctic is reckless and unsafe.”