Greenpeace Activists Try to Block Navy Cruiser in Sweden

STOCKHOLM —  Four Greenpeace activists jumped into the Baltic Sea on Sunday to block the way of the U.S. cruiser Ticonderoga, which the environmental organization said might be carrying nuclear weapons.

The warship steamed past the activists and sailed into Stockholm’s harbor.

“The cruiser signaled with its horns, and police in small boats tried to pick our people up from the water but didn’t succeed,” Greenpeace spokesman Magnus Furugard said.

Two hours earlier, police boarded and confiscated the Greenpeace vessel Moby Dick and arrested the eight activists on board on charges of planning a sabotage action, Furugard said.

“We did not plan anything criminal. We carried out a demonstration,” Furugard said. “It’s a crime to bring in nuclear weapons and a crime to spread nuclear weapons.”

The Swedish government forbids foreign ships to bring nuclear weapons into its waters, but it assumes that the prohibition will be respected and does not question visitors.

The U.S. Navy refuses to confirm or deny whether a particular ship carries nuclear weapons.