Paul Watson Arrested Amid Whaling Controversy

In the recent surge of international controversy, Paul Watson, the anti-whaling organization Sea Shepherd’s founder was arrested in Greenland under charges of aggression against the Japanese whaling industry. The action was taken in Paamiut during a pause of fuelling the ship, based on accusations of unlawful threats and violence use in the Sea Shepherd’s opposition to the Japanese whaling industry. This mission had resulted in illegal ramming of the Japanese ships and endangering the sailors by throwing chemicals and weapons, causing injury and sabotaging the activities under the attempts of stopping or preventing the whaling.

The arrest is a product of prolonged conflicts between the Sea Shepherd and Japanese fleets of whalers, where the founder in his recent statement implored Danish authorities “to let justice take its course” At the same time, the action was caused by an appeal by the Japan Coast Guard for Watson’s extradition for the legal prosecution, request that has been supported by the Danish authorities, ruling Greenland. The motion has been met by resistance from leaders of several European countries, notably, French President Emmanuel Macron. The case emphasized sharp contradictions between international policies towards whaling and conservation activism, as well as revealed their extent. As the Danish Ministry of Justice ponders over the decision, the international community waits for the next part of the drama to unfold.