Members of Vegan Georgia, Plant Based Treaty Tbilisi and individual activists gathered outside the embassies of Denmark and Japan, holding placards and a large whale cutout to demand the release of Captain Paul Watson, the founder of Sea Shepherd and co-founder of marine conservation Greenpeace.
On Sunday, July 21, Captain Watson arrived aboard the M/Y John Paul DeJoria in Nuuk, Greenland, to refuel. However, he was swiftly apprehended by a dozen Danish federal police officers who were acting on an international arrest warrant issued by Japan. Watson and his crew were en route to navigate the Northwest Passage into the North Pacific with the intention of intercepting the Kangei Maru, a new Japanese whaling ship that Watson has described as “the world’s largest and most dangerous.”
The 73-year-old Canadian-American, who has devoted his life to protecting whales and marine life, could face 15 years in prison in Japan if convicted of accomplice to assault and ship trespass.
In 2014, the International Court of Justice ruled Japan’s Antarctic research whaling program JARPA to be illegal. The Captain Paul Watson Foundation suspects that the Red Notice is politically motivated, as it aligns with the introduction of Japan’s new whale slaughter vessel.
Protests demanding the release of Captain Watson have extended far beyond Tbilisi, with the global community rallying in support of the legendary whale guardian. Notable supporters include film director James Cameron, who voiced his solidarity on social media on July 30:
“The people who defend our life support system should be celebrated, not arrested… When Captain Watson defends whales from whale hunts, he defends our life support system. When he stands up for the oceans, he stands up for us all.”
In an open letter, Dr. Jane Goodall and the Jane Goodall Institute state:
“Dr Goodall and members of the Jane Goodall Institute’s Cetacean and Ethics Committees unequivocally condemn the practice of whaling and are strongly opposed to arresting individuals demonstrating their compassion and concern for the wellbeing, conservation and protection of cetaceans and individuals of those species. Whales (and other cetaceans) are long lived sentient beings… Whaling, whether for commercial or alleged scientific purposes, is cruel and unethical. Each and every whale matters as an individual and should be respected accordingly. Captain Watson is simply taking action to try to prevent the inhumane practice of killing whales which most countries have banned decades ago.”
Whales are essential to the health of the ocean ecosystem, contributing to climate regulation by producing oxygen and sequestering CO2. Yet, their numbers are dwindling due to whaling, and the escalating global temperatures are further jeopardizing their survival as they struggle to adapt. At the protests in Tbilisi, activists carried signs that read “If the ocean dies, we die,” highlighting the interconnectedness of all life. Their message emphasized that respecting whales as sentient beings is crucial to safeguarding all life on Earth, including humanity.
While detained in Anstalten prison, Watson has been writing poetry:
“Embarrassed whalers want their revenge
They want me to die,
For their sins.”
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How YOU can take action:
- Sign the #FreePaulWatson petition at https://www.paulwatsonfoundation.org/freepaulwatson/
- Raise awareness by printing materials or posting on social media from the #FreePaulWatson kit at https://cpwf.uk/freepaulwatson-printables
- Write to Captain Paul Watson at ANSTALTEN PRISON, NUUK, GREENLAND, DK-3900
