French activist drops a smoke bomb on nuclear plant

In this photo taken Wednesday May 2, 2012, provided by Greenpeace an activist in a motorized paraglider flies over the Bugey nuclear power plant, near Saint-Vulbas, central France. / AP Photo

(AP) PARIS - An environmental activist was arrested Wednesday after dropping a billowing smoke bomb onto the roof of a French nuclear reactor ahead of a key presidential election debate, Greenpeace and police said.

Video footage (watch below) from the dramatic stunt captured the airborne activist on a motorized paraglider after he dropped the smoke bomb at the Bugey site 22 miles east of Lyon.

The activist began circling the reactor before making a wobbly descent to the ground with a parachute marked "Greenpeace." The name of the activist was not released, but local police confirmed the arrest.

Plant owner EDF has defended the site's security measures, saying in a statement they "were strengthened in late 2011 (to) allow detection and immediate apprehension of the perpetrator."

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Greenpeace nuclear spokesman, Yannick Rousselet, told The Associated Press the spectacle was meant to stimulate a political debate on nuclear power.

"We're four days ahead of a presidential election, and neither (President) Nicolas Sarkozy or Francois Hollande are taking the issue seriously. Seventy-five percent of French electrical consumption is nuclear, and this needs to drop. We hope this will be a talking point in tonight's TV presidential debate," said Rousselet.

[retiredgustav]

France is proud of their energy independence and right fully so.75% of France's energy comes from nuclear, what do they want to replace it with? Don't say wind because there is a slight reliability problem with that.

[taxed01]

Coming to a nuke plant near you..............

[aghast101]

IDIOTS!

[BogusPeavy]

"EDF has defended the site's security measures, saying in a statement they "were strengthened in late 2011 (to) allow detection and immediate apprehension of the perpetrator"

So WHY didn't they blow him out of the sky long before he ever got there and ask questions later? That guy could have dropped ANYTHING and could have pretended to by anybody for any reason. This story makes my teeth hurt.

[BogusPeavy]

"EDF has defended the site's security measures, saying in a statement they "were strengthened in late 2011 (to) allow detection and immediate apprehension of the perpetrator"

So WHY didn't they blow him out of the sky long before he ever got there and ask questions later? That guy could have dropped ANYTHING and could have pretended to by anybody for any reason. This story makes my teeth hurt.

[wtcmedic911]

Ground to air gunfire anyone? Sounds like a new form of frence sheet! Greenpeace skeet!!

[RetLAEnvEmployee]

Start up a debate with a French environmentalist who dropped a smoke bomb on a nuclear plant from a gasoline powered paraglider? Mai no. I am not crazy but anyone who flies in a motorized kite over an operating nuclear plant throwing smoke bombs should be locked up in a mental hospital. Protest is one thing: this insanity needs to be in a cage.

[ToolMangler1]

This jerk is very lucky that they didn't have 'armed guards' watching for 'would be airborne-terrorists'. (I bet they will from now on..)
I am willing to bet that the very next person to try that will be shot down first and questioned later "if he/she survives"....