Whaling protester to be charged in Japan

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**Frazzled**

http://www.seattlepi.com/national/1104ap_as_antarctica_whaling.html

Whaling protester to be charged in Japan
By TANALEE SMITH
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER

In this Feb. 10, 2010, photo released by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Captain Peter Bethune poses onboard the MV Steve Irwin, in the Southern Ocean. Bethune, an anti-whaling activist with the U.S.-based Sea Shepherd group, was being held in custody on board a Japanese whaling vessel Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010, after secretly boarding it the day before, the whalers said. (AP Photo/Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, Barbara Veiga)
ADELAIDE, Australia -- An anti-whaling activist from New Zealand is in custody on a Japanese vessel and will be taken to Japan to face charges after secretly boarding the ship as part of a protest, officials said Tuesday.

Peter Bethune, a member of the U.S.-based Sea Shepherd activist group, jumped aboard the Shonan Maru 2 from a Jet Ski on Monday with the stated goal of making a citizen's arrest of the ship's captain and presenting him with a $3 million bill for the destruction of a protest ship last month.

The Japanese government has decided to bring Bethune to Japan for questioning, Fisheries Agency official Osamu Ishikawa said. He will be charged with trespassing and assault and tried under Japanese law, Ishikawa said.

He said officials were working out the details of how to transport Bethune to Japan - whether to keep him on the vessel, which will be at sea for a few more weeks, or to drop him off in a port call and fly him back.

The brazen boarding was the latest escalation of a campaign by Sea Shepherd to hamper Japanese whaling activities.

Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research, which sponsors the whale hunt, said Bethune used a knife to cut the vessel's protective net to enable his boarding and that he told whalers he then threw the knife into the sea. The crew treated him for a cut on his thumb he received while boarding, the institute said.

Under Japanese law, intruding on a Japanese vessel without legitimate reasons can bring a prison term of up to three years and a fine up to 100,000 yen (US$1,100).

Bethune was being held in a room by himself with guards posted outside, Fisheries Ministry official Toshinori Uoya said.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully said it seemed Bethune's intention was to be detained aboard the whaling ship, but his country nevertheless had an obligation to try to help him and was seeking cooperation from Japanese diplomats.

McCully met Japan's ambassador Tuesday, and New Zealand's top diplomat in Japan met senior officials there Monday.

Sea Shepherd said Bethune demanded the cost of replacing the Ady Gil, an activist ship he captained that was destroyed in a collision with the Shonan Maru 2 last month, and the surrender of the whaling ship's captain on attempted murder charges.

The Ady Gil sank after the collision, though there were only minor injuries.

Japan has six whaling ships in Antarctic waters under its scientific whaling program, an allowed exception to the International Whaling Commission's 1986 ban on commercial whaling. It hunts hundreds of mostly minke whales, which are not an endangered species. Whale meat not used for study is sold for consumption in Japan, which critics say is the real reason for the hunts.

The Sea Shepherd sends vessels to confront the fleet each year, trying to block the whalers from firing harpoons and dangling ropes in the water to try to snarl the Japanese ships' propellers. The whalers have responded by firing water cannons and sonar devices meant to disorient the activists.

**Wrexasaur**

Peter Bethune, a member of the U.S.-based Sea Shepherd activist group, jumped aboard the Shonan Maru 2 from a Jet Ski on Monday with the stated goal of making a citizen's arrest of the ship's captain and presenting him with a $3 million bill for the destruction of a protest ship last month.

**Kanluwen**

Hey, I think it's pretty clever.

And who would ever have foreseen a whaling protester hippy becoming James Bond just to drop off the bill?

**Wrexasaur**

I was thinking more along the lines of Kevin Costner, in Waterworld. I wonder if he used a wave to jump on the deck.

Epic.

**Ketara**

The fact this guy had the intent of attempting to citizens arrest a captain aboard his own ship out at sea tells me enough about what a nut case he is. Did he really think that even if he jumped on the captain and shoulder locked him, the other members of the crew wouldn't just jump on him, kick the crap out of him, and throw him in the brig? Clearly not the brightest spark in the plug this one.

**JEB_Stuart**

Its like throwing stinky butter...

**Frazzled**

Ketara wrote:The fact this guy had the intent of attempting to citizens arrest a captain aboard his own ship out at sea tells me enough about what a nut case he is. Did he really think that even if he jumped on the captain and shoulder locked him, the other members of the crew wouldn't just jump on him, kick the crap out of him, and throw him in the brig? Clearly not the brightest spark in the plug this one.

Its a publi9city stunt. they do that every year if they can. one or two members will board a whale ship-usually one of the smaller ships. When he is detained the Shepherd then gets on the wireless and starts screaming that their guy has been illegally kidnapped. I tell you, if you have popcorn and rum this is epic fun to watch. I wish they would have a season II.

**Kilkrazy**

I have to say, while I despise the Japanese Government for its pork barrel propping up of an industry doing its best to die, concealed behind a false screen of "anti-cultural imperialism" I despise the Sea Shepherd people even more for being such group-thunk frothers.

**jbunny**

I say give him the harshes penalty possible. 3 years and $1100 fine.

**Cane**

Haha, thats pretty bad ass.

Shame that this guy has more balls than the USA, UK, and rest of Japan's allies combined when it comes to saving the whales

**Khornholio**

Next time they should send a woman. Women aren't allowed on Japanese fishing vessels as they are 'bad luck'. They would've decommissioned the ship and sold it to India or something.

Oh yeah, FETH you DORPHIN! FETH you WHARE!

**garret**

wouldnt they just get another one?

**garret**

wouldnt they just get another one?

**KingCracker**

Khornholio wrote:Next time they should send a woman. Women aren't allowed on Japanese fishing vessels as they are 'bad luck'. They would've decommissioned the ship and sold it to India or something.

Oh yeah, FETH you DORPHIN! FETH you WHARE!

I know its wrong, but I lol'd

I cant stand that guy, or his stupid show. Im glad. Honestly, if I were an officer or hell, the Captain of one of those ships he keeps messing with, I would of shot the basterd long ago. Granted what they are doing to the whales is wrong in the extreme.

**WvLopp**

Khornholio wrote:Next time they should send a woman. Women aren't allowed on Japanese fishing vessels as they are 'bad luck'. They would've decommissioned the ship and sold it to India or something.

Oh yeah, FETH you DORPHIN! FETH you WHARE!

I think that has already happened. Remember seeing an epsisode where three of them boarded the vessel. I can agree with them for trying to save the whales. But to start to claim that they are being kidnapped once they illegally boarded the vessel is just irritating.

**Shadowbrand**

Woohoo! Feth the Peta protesters!!!

-Nixon face- Screw them treehuggers.

**Bla_Ze**

I have this abnormal hate for the Sea shepherd and its methods, i find myself wishing some crazy japper sinks it...

**WvLopp**

Don't get me wrong, I am all about supporting PETA. People Eating Tasty Animals

**Doombot001**

Props to Sea Shepard!

They got more balls than most ordinary citizens.

**Orkestra**

'Bout time these loons realized that illegal is illegal, even if you think you're right.

Also, call me a cynic, but I fail to see how hunting a non-endangered species of whale is worse than, say, hunting anything else.

It's certainly not worse than cattle feedlots, and I don't see you boarding their manure carts and claiming you were kidnapped.

**Bla_Ze**

Of course, it need not be told i love animals too, especially with a good sauce.

**Emperors Faithful**

Bla_Ze wrote:Of course, it need not be told i love animals too, especially with a good sauce.

I'm so sorry mother nature, but I loled.

**garret**

One thing i dont get. If there hunting whales that arent even colse to exticnction let lone endangered. How is it different from crab fishing. Or even hunting Deer.
Also. before anyone says that they do. the institute stopped killing humpbacks in 08. know its minke whales.

**Kanluwen**

Orkestra wrote:'Bout time these loons realized that illegal is illegal, even if you think you're right.

Also, call me a cynic, but I fail to see how hunting a non-endangered species of whale is worse than, say, hunting anything else.

It's certainly not worse than cattle feedlots, and I don't see you boarding their manure carts and claiming you were kidnapped.

While I'm not going to compare the ridiculousness of comparing a wild species in its native habitat to a domesticated herd animal that is raised for the main purpose of foodstuffs, I will say this:

I could care less that Japan is hunting non-endangered species of whales, but if they're going to do it they need to man up and stop saying it's for research related purposes.
The vast majority of it is not anywhere near related to research.

**Orkestra**

My point wasn't about the existence of feedlots. (Note: I'm personally very into eating animals of all sorts) The example was alluding to the conditions that animals inside those feedlots endure. If the motivation behind these protests is that these people empathize with animals, then why not protests poor treatment of animals, rather than the deaths of wild whales, who, until being harpooned, were probably as happy as a whale in the ocean.

**Kanluwen**

*sigh*

Okay:
The rationalization is that the feedlot animals are allowed to live with the express purpose of being eaten at a later date. They've never been 'free', they've never been 'wild', they've never been anything other than destined for a burger. They've only known the feedlot, and only will know the feedlot until the day they're taken to the slaughterhouse.

Whereas, these whales are being hunted, killed, and sold for profit under the guise of 'research'.

The Japanese are, as it stands, giving out these permits to kill wild whales by saying it's for research, when the meat and other vital parts that would end up for research--are being sold to the culinary industries.

**MeanGreenStompa**

A good deal of the criticism about whale hunting and eating is their comparable intelligence with humanity and superior intelligence to most forms of life found in the OT hell of dakka.

**Kilkrazy**

Is there intelligent life on Dakka?

**MeanGreenStompa**

Kilkrazy wrote:Is there intelligent life on Dakka?

No, it's a rock, no indigenous life...

**Ketara**

Pigs are pretty smart too, and we eat plenty of them.