Lucy Lawless pleads guilty to trespassing

CEBU, Philippines - “Xena: Warrior Princess” actress Lucy Lawless says she has “no regrets” about boarding and preventing an oil-drilling ship from leaving a New Zealand dock, a protest action that saw her plead guilty on Thursday to trespass charges.

“For the first time in my life, I put my body and reputation on the line to stand up for my beliefs and do the right thing,” she said in an interview with The Associated Press after her appearance in court. “I hope I’ve encouraged other people to do the same.”

In February, the 44-year-old native New Zealander and six other Greenpeace activists climbed a drilling tower on the vessel Noble Discoverer, which was docked in New Zealand bound for the Arctic, to protest oil exploration in the Arctic. Lawless spent four days atop the 174-foot (53-meter) tower, camping and blogging about her experiences.

Oil company Shell, which was chartering the ship, has condemned the protest, saying it needlessly put people in danger.

Lawless said that she felt she had little choice but to participate in the protest because of the damage oil companies are doing to the environment. (AP)