Sea Shepherd kicks out activist on trial in Japan

So the Eco-Terrorists decided to expell Bethune from SSCS, after he threw bottles of butyric acid for them, sacrificed his silly boat, climbed onboard a whaler and will obviously spend some years in jail, on the grounds that he had a bow and arrows (reported as crossbow and bolts) onboard the Ady Gil.

"The Japanese Institute of Cetacean Research released photos of the alleged arrows back in January, but at that time the Sea Shepherd dismissed the report as "ridiculous"."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/sea-shepherd-expels-activist-peter-bethune-for-taking-bow-and-arrows-on-ship/story-e6frf7jx-1225877063741

"But another Ady Gil crew member, Jason Stewart, told New Zealand's TV3 News that Sea Shepherd had always known about the bow and arrows. In a TV3 interview recorded before the Antarctic campaign, Mr Bethune displayed the weapons and said they would be used to shoot "nasty chemicals" into dead whales so the whaling ships would not take them on board."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10266219.stm

If this doesn't give Sea Shepherd supporters second thoughts as to who they are contributing to and supporting, I don't know what will. Hope Bethune sings his lungs out and gets a few years off for helping nail Watson. Then I'd say he's learned his lesson.

Not surprised that it happened, actually expected it as I mentioned in earlier posts.

Happens way too often with groups like this, they simply use people and drop them when things go awry.

Looking forward to hearing views from the Pro-SSCS guys.

And this is what happens when you go along with these cults, oops I mean organizations. They brainwash you into whatever agenda they want (whether it be a legit agenda or not), then toss you to the side disowning you when they don't need you / you're going to be an issue.

Is this what they talk about "Rats and sinking ships"?

Great timing.... months after Ady Gil sunk, one day before Bethune' s trial concludes (tomorrow). Pathalogical narcissist Watson obviously can't handle any other name in the media but his own.

OssanAmerica - If this doesn't give Sea Shepherd supporters second thoughts as to who they are contributing to and supporting, I don't know what will.

Blah, blah, blah! He was removed from SS for carrying weapons (crossbows). If anything, it shows SS does have standards and a moral agenda. Also, from the five international reports I have read, the Japanese report is the only one that refers to his removal as 'kicked out'.

interesting twist...........

Disillusioned at 08:00 AM JST - 9th June Blah, blah, blah! He was removed from SS for carrying weapons >>(crossbows). If anything, it shows SS does have standards and a moral >agenda.

SS knew about the crossbow, denied it when discovered, ans now use it as an excuse to dump Bethune. That's some moral standards and a moral agenda.

Also, from the five international reports I have read, the Japanese >report is the only one that refers to his removal as 'kicked out'

OK how about an Australian one? You do know what "expelled" means right?

"ANTI-WHALING activist Peter Bethune - on trial in Japan - has been expelled from Sea Shepherd, the conservation group he campaigned with, after he took a bow and arrows on to one of their vessels, it emerged today."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/sea-shepherd-expels-activist-peter-bethune-for-taking-bow-and-arrows-on-ship/story-e6frf7jx-1225877063741

Some people are afraid to admit that it isnt a Japanese bais about SS

see the article isnt made by any Japanese news company

"Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed."

Also, from the five international reports I have read, the Japanese report is the only one that refers to his removal as 'kicked out'.

The above article is not a Japanese report, it is from AP. Others refer to his 'removal as 'kicked out' are: The Canadian Press, NZherald, TVNZ. Other vocabulary used is abandoned, axed, dumped. Just shows that SS Watson ruthlessly exploits anything and anybody to manipulate the media.

Why is Sea Sheperd called an American based organization when none of the representatives are from the US? Stop giving us a bad name and move your base to ZN or Australia or another of those random places

Oh come off it Sea Sheperd. Don't try to claim the moral high ground about weapons now. These guys launched glass bottles full of chemicals at the Japanese ships. Glass ... out of air cannons. Glass, that stuff that shatters and breaks and can result in anything from razor sharp shrapnel to tiny glass particles that are airborne and can shred someone's retina. Air cannons, capable of turning a common tennis ball into something capable of inflicting serious bruising, imagine what could happen with a glass bottle full of chemicals that already has a large starting mass.

Now they're trying to claim the moral high ground about a bow an arrow?

Sea Shepherd says that in its 30 years of activism, it has never injured anyone.

Pull the other one chaps, it's got bells on it.

move your base to ZN or Australia or another of those random places

ZN? So random I've never heard of it.

Morons...

“I thought my crew were going to die,” he said, sobbing. “I live with this vision of being run over—images of this big boat running us over. This broke my heart

.”

Well - - -WHAT exactly did he think was going to happen when they play those terrorist -style war games ? ? ? Honestly

Sea Shepherd says that in its 30 years of activism, it has never injured anyone.

OH PUHLEEEZE ! ! ! Just do a profile on Paul Watson . . and it will clarify how UNTRUE that statement is. . . . . They are dumping this guy because he is co$$$$$ting them BIG and revealing too much @ their operations . >>> :0 - LOL The Loyalties within this group have always been tenuous.

What great leadership, one of your men takes one for the team (and has probably taken a number for the team while in lock up in Tokyo), and the group he represents then turns around and kicks him out.

Anyway, it might just boil down to a cult of personality. While our Kiwi friend is willing to take it on the chin (and possibly in other areas of his body) like a man, old gray beard does not have the guts.

Just another thought, I wonder how this decision will play in Australia and New Zealand. Back when I was growing up, about the worst thing you could do was not stand by your friends when they were under the hammer. A friend of mine at school actually got an even heavier punishment for dobbing in one of his classmates (I cannot remember what for). We used to use the expression "Don't jack on your mates." Anyway, Sea Shepherd dropping this chap like a hot txrd might come back to haunt them down south.

What a stupid move to board a hostile foreign ship by his own will. Talk about playing into the enemies' hands.. What exactly did he expect from his little adventures, a slap on the wrist? Somebody's been watching way too many American movies, methinks. No impassioned court pleas to justice for you! Or was he trying to martyr himself?

Why have we never been told who was at the controls of the Ady Gil that day? If it was Bethune I can understand why he has this recurring vision. It must be regret. He or someone else engaged Full Ahead instead of Reverse.

They are dumping this guy because he is co$$$$$ting them BIG and revealing too much @ their operations .

SS Watson dumps Bethune for maximum effect and manipulation of the media. Tomorrow when the trial concludes we will read worldwide: Bethune who was expelled/kicked-out/dumped from SS for.... was found guilty of.... Just think about the timing and that the bow and arrows never came up in the trial.

What a spineless group

I suspect that the true reason they're dumping him, is that they don't want to be associated with a convicted felon. Considering what he's already admitted to, theres really no question left that he will be convicted.

Sea Sheps are cowering liberals as usual. No balls or is that butyric acid to stay the course. I think they are just trying a little damage control and to see if they can turn it around and try to show faux concern for safety. Don't feel sorry for Bethune or Watson or his other useful idiots. Cults always attract weak minded people. Sea Sheps are no different. Capn' Highliner now is trying to show the world that he means no harm. Forget all the broken glass he's littered the Southern Ocean with. His cultists are just too blind to see and they'll be just as blind by his cowering betrayal of his followers. Now we all can see what he meant by "Would you die to save a whale?" comment. It really means, Can we throw you away when we are done with you?

The ignorance of the principles of non-violence, demonstrated by the many posts here, is breath-taking.

This surprises me. Because for the last three or four years, contributors on this forum have been at pains to point out that Sea Shepherd have never used bows and arrows and any arrows have been planted by the Japanese for pure propaganda purposes.

Ms Bethune believed Sea Shepherd knew all along that Bethune had brought the weapons on board, saying "they filmed him with them [the bow and arrows] on the boat, so they must have known about it".

more fodder for South Park here

I thought my crew were going to die,” he said, sobbing. “I live with this vision of being run over—images of this big boat running us over. This broke my heart.

Uh? What did he expect when he was maneuvering in front of that big boat? That it will stop and say konnichiwa?

They are dumping this guy because he is co$$$$$ting them BIG

According to the SS homepage Sea Shepherd will continue to support Captain Bethune through his legal battle in Japan, so 'dumping' him apparently isn't going to save them any immediate $$$. http://www.seashepherd.org/news-and-media/editorial-100604-1.html

I remember back in January Watson was spitting nails about the bow and arrows, claiming that their 'discovery' was nothing but propaganda by Inwood and his 'Busy Little Japanese Kiwi Office of Absurd Propaganda', 'one of the most absurd media releases I have seen this clown issue in years'. He was so adamant at the time that the arrows were NOT anything to do with SS that he surely had no option but to disassociate himself and his organisation from Bethune if it's become clear that he did bring the weapons on board the Ady Gil.

Why have we never been told who was at the controls of the Ady Gil that day?

Haven't we?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/3330222/Smashing-time

Jason Stewart, an Aussie former policeman.

publicity stunt to distance him from the Sea Shepherd and to help set him free with a suspended sentence.

Cleo, see the quote from Bethune's wife.

He was videoed by Sea Shepherd WITH the bow and arrow. And we all know that Watson lies/exaggerates to the media so because he denies something doesn't even come close to suggesting it's false. He'd deny he had a beard if it got him more media coverage.

My question is why now?

The lil' bow & arrow apparently sank with the Ady Gil nearly what 6-months ago.

Something smells fishy here and it is not my cats Tuna-breakfast.

Since when is ramming boats, sinking, scuttling boats non-violent? If they're non-violent why did they try to sink the Faroese police boats with line rifles and flares?

Cleo, thanks for the link.

@ Cleo

Would you please enlighten us why SS 'disassociates' themselves now, one day before Bethune's trial conclusion. Depite that the bow and arrows has not been featured in any media since months and was not an issue at the trial. Why now?

HedaMadness;"He was videoed by Sea Shepherd WITH the bow and arrow."

He was filmed by discovery channel, not SSCS! If anything I think it shows along with SSCS policy of non-violence, also the fact discovery channel film, & have control over the film, not SSCS as many posters here claim.

tigris -

Would you please enlighten us why SS 'disassociates' themselves now, one day before Bethune's trial conclusion. Depite that the bow and arrows has not been featured in any media since months and was not an issue at the trial. Why now?

The article on the SS page is dated 4th June. You tell me why now the media is picking up on it one day before Bethune's trial conclusion. Mrs Bethune says some (not she) believe it's the best move for him and the Japanese might go easy because they know he's not going down to the southern seas and is no longer part of Sea Shepherd.

Heda -

What quote from Bethune's wife? This one - "they filmed him with them [the bow and arrows] on the boat" ? It isn't clear who 'they' are - the SS filmcrew? If so, then yes they knew all along. The Whale Wars film crew? If so, it's less clear.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10650692

Thanks for the link Cleo and clearing up some of the issues. Indeed, I found myself in agreement with the following reference: "Bethune is facing up to 15 years jail."

"Stop giving us a bad name and move your base to ZN or Australia or another of those random places"

"ZN? So random I've never heard of it."

I think they're referring to Zoo kNeeland. :-)

@Cleo

I rephrase, if that makes any difference to you: Why would SS come out with this information about bow and arrows 6 days before the conclusion of Bethune's trial. And please explain how the information that Bethune indeed was carrying a dangerous weapon helps him to get leniency in a Japanese court.

tigris -

Simple answer, I dunno. I'm not in on SS decision-making. I understand that cutting him off from SS is supposed to help because SS has no cred in Japan and so distancing themselves might help him. But as I said, I dunno.

@Cleo

Thanks for the simple and straight answer. As you have been such a loyal supporter of SS and Bethune I have one more question: If you were in Bethune's shoes in a Japanese jail - How would that make you feel in terms of loyality?

for all their tough talk sea shepherd are a bunch of cowards abandoning their own when it suits them.

While it's apparent that the SS was aware that Bethune had brought his bow and arrows aboard the AG. Watson is now hoping to avoid having Bethune upcoming conviction being associated with the SS. Too late for Watson and too late for Bethune.

stirringthenest

The ignorance of the principles of non-violence, demonstrated by the many posts here, is breath-taking.

Really? I'm more amazed by your ignorance of blatant hypocrisy, as demonstrated by Sea Shepherd.

Help? How much are the bow and arrow worth in monetary value? Maybe it was a toy? Those things can be varied, yk. Down under they are obesessively worried about safety, it must have been a toy. The faith of the young counries leads to the bigger ones being manipulative doesnt it? Leaving him high and dry in Japan isnt very nice.

One possible thing I can imagine. This is just a theory(thinking out loud).

SSCS might try to distance himself from bethune and his actions by saying he did bad things before the boarding and thus his actions were not 100% controlled by SSCS and are against their views, etc.

There is no need to carry a knife for non-violent protests, etc.

Sea Shepherds and Capn Highliner just keep on looking worse and worse. Damage control is on full today. Good luck with your illegal activities boys. Bethune has been sacrificed by the cult leader and his useful idiots. Looking forward to more Kiwi tears in Japan explaining that he must have been brainwashed by the cult of Capn Highliner.

Looks like someone brought a bow to a harpoon fight.

Also, from the five international reports I have read, the Japanese report is the only one that refers to his removal as 'kicked out'.

Just remember, you didn't break up with me; I broke up with you.

In any case, he's bowed out of SS.

Where are the die-hard Pro-SSCS guys on this.

Would like to read their views and takes on this development.

Where are the die-hard Pro-SSCS guys on this.

The shepherd just sacrificed a lamb so the sheep are hiding in the bush.

fds at 12:07 PM JST - 9th June

for all their tough talk sea shepherd are a bunch of cowards abandoning their own when it suits them.

EXACTLY!!

arrestpaul;"While it's apparent that the SS was aware that Bethune had brought his bow and arrows aboard the AG."

Oh how is this so apparent? Once again 'Animal Planet' is not SSCS, & control their own film & editing, very obviously! I think it also shows that Paul Watson does not get a say in the editing process, nor it seems even see the program until it is released.

Secondly I think it is very simple why SSCS has removed Bethune as a spokes person & representitive. A simily if you like; if you have an employee, something happens, the boss asks the employee & is given a story, the boss accepts this & defends the employee,(on the international stage!). Later it comes out that the employee has lied about the situation. Do you think the boss will keep the employee who broke his trust?

SSCS have stated they are & will continue to help Bethune, but he is no longer a representitive, simple & fair.

@ KeikoTokyo

Jason Stewart, the Aucklander who was at the helm of the Ady Gil during the collision, told TV3 that Mr Bethune had been given the go-ahead to bring the bow and arrow on board.

That debunks your whole argument.

The same article quotes Bethune's father:

The father of anti-whaling campaigner Pete Bethune believes conservation group Sea Shepherd has cut his son adrift because the former Hamilton sailor was taking the limelight from the group's other high-profile activists.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/3790276/Bethune-ban-jealousy

6 people working(living) in a 24 square foot area and nobody notices a big thing like a Crossbow/Bow and Arrows/Bolts.

Does not compute, people must have known about it and if they were that strict he should have been kicked of the boat immediately.

It's funny.

The Sea Shepherd says they did not know about the bow, yet there is no doubt they knew about it. Some posters here point out that what is told does not reflect the truth.

Here comes the funny part: some of the same posters absolutely fail to understand that while Japan says it is doing research, it is just catching whales for commercial purposes.

Why this discrepancy? On one hand these posters are obviously able to detect the difference between "excuse" and "reality" in the SS case, yet they completely ignore the similar "excuse" and "reality" in the Japanese whaling case.

I find it funny.

@sarcasm123

There is no discrepancy and it ain't funny. I am not sheep following blindly a narcissistic shepherd. But I do agree with the the current methods of Greenpeace in Japan and their comments on Paul Watson:

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/paul-watson-sea-shepherd-and

There is no discrepancy and it ain't funny. I am not sheep following blindly a narcissistic shepherd.

So when Japan tells you it is whaling for "research", what do you think? Do you believe it, or not?

tigris;"The father of anti-whaling campaigner Pete Bethune believes conservation group Sea Shepherd has cut his son adrift because the former Hamilton sailor was taking the limelight from the group's other high-profile activists."

Asa father he is allowed to express HIS opinion, but that does not necessarily make it fact!

"But I do agree with the the current methods of Greenpeace in Japan"

Funny because they have 2 activist ready to go to jail for theft in Japan, & a report from the Med last week stated how a Greenpeace activist was harpooned after trying to cut/sink tuna fishing nets! Yet Greenpeace critisise SSCS whilst doing very similar actions!

KeikoTokyo

Funny because they have 2 activist ready to go to jail for theft in Japan, & a report from the Med last week stated how a Greenpeace activist was harpooned after trying to cut/sink tuna fishing nets! Yet Greenpeace critisise SSCS whilst doing very similar actions!

Not being able to distinguish between SSCS and Greenpeace and their respective MOs isn't funny at all. It's actually pretty sad...

So when Japan tells you it is whaling for "research", what do you think? Do you believe it, or not?

No I don't. They are exploiting a loophole in the regulations. But my view on whaling is not as black and white as you might wish. I do not tell people what to eat (unless it is endangered species). I would have no problem if Japan catches whales in their own territory. SS Watson managed to rise the support for whaling in Japan despite falling consumption (probably now rising again). The 2 sides are made for each other: Watson promotes defiance in Japan and that swells his bank accounts and satisfies his pathological narcissistic needs. Without the fuzz whaling would slowly die its natural death like any other industry not commercially viable.

@ KeikoTokyo

Please read the sentences you copy more carefully: "But I do agree with the the current methods of Greenpeace in Japan"

Keiko in Tokyo/Cleo.

Ms Bethune believed Sea Shepherd knew all along that Bethune had brought the weapons on board, saying "they filmed him with them [the bow and arrows] on the boat, so they must have known about it".

I'm not entirely sure how you can say that in this case 'they' are referring to Animal Planet/Discovery. In fact neither the Animal Planet nor Discovery is mentioned at all withing the article so it's a bit of a jump (to say the least) to suggest that they are the they in this case. So unless you have further information, it seems clear that 'they' is referring to Sea Shepherd.

tigris -

As you have been such a loyal supporter of SS and Bethune....

I'm a loyal supporter of the whales.

... I have one more question: If you were in Bethune's shoes in a Japanese jail - How would that make you feel in terms of loyality?

Can't really see myself in his shoes, because I can't see myself climbing onto a Japanese whaling boat and putting myself at the mercy of a bunch of people who obviously have no qualms or hesitation about ramming boats and putting people in the Antarctic water..... neither can I see myself wandering around with a bow and arrows.

Heda -

I understand your confusion, but note that the quote says Ms Bethune believed Sea Shepherd knew all along ...they must have known about it. She doesn't say she knew they knew, or that they definitely knew....they must have known sounds to me like she's making assumptions, like the assumption that SS monitors and passes every bit of video taken by the Animal Planet film crew. If she meant that SS themselves took the video, I think she would have used more definite language, eg I know for certain that they knew.

I'm not saying that 'they' are referring to Animal Planet/Discovery. I'm saying it's not clear who 'they' refers to. If it's 'the people who normally take video on the SS boats', isn't that more likely to be the film crew?

USNinJapan2, here a few links & comments of how Greenpeace operate;

"Greenpeace activists board nuclear waste ship. Three Greenpeace activists boarded the Atlantic Osprey carrier as it was making its way to Sellafield with a shipment of nuclear waste for reprocessing." http://www.akdart.com/enviro5.html

"Police arrested fourteen activists from the Greenpeace organization at the Ashkelon harbor, on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, on Monday after their ship, the Rainbow Warrior, docked in a prohibited area and the activists proceeded to vandalize another ship at the port. Those arrested include Israelis and foreign nationals."; http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/127542

"7 Greenpeace activists were arrested Monday afternoon for boarding an offshore drilling support ship and painting Anti-Offshore Drilling slogans and symbols."; http://earthfirstnews.wordpress.com/2010/05/25/7-greenpeace-activists-arrested-in-daring-demo/

"This morning, Greenpeace activists chained themselves to a cargo ship in the Dutch port of Rotterdam in an effort to block the export of whale meat from Iceland to Japan"; http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/04/greenpeace-blocks-ship-loaded-with-fin-whale-meat-heading-to-japan.php

GREENPEACE RAMS JAPANESE VESSEL

The Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) said today that the Greenpeace vessel deliberately rammed the Japanese research vessel, the Nisshin-Maru in the Antarctic today while it was attempting to transfer cargo.

ICR Director-General Hiroshi Hatanaka said the Arctic Sunrise’s bow hit the side of the Nisshin-Maru twice.

“The captain of the Nisshin-Maru confirmed to ICR today that Greenpeace had rammed our vessel, which has sustained some damage. Luckily, no crewmembers were injured.”

The last one is from the ICR, & they have plenty more stating the same of Greenpeace; http://www.icrwhale.org/gpandsea.htm

Jun 5, 2010 Greenpeace activist harpooned

PARIS - A GREENPEACE activist trying to free tuna from a commercial fishing net in the Mediterranean on Friday was harpooned through the leg by fishermen on a French boat, the environmental group said"; http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_535949.html

Are these not the very same things you state that make SSCS an eco-terrorist organisation? Well I guess Greenpeace do just as much, & are as well.

Heda, as Cleo has stated, I feel it Ms Bethune is making assumptions about the film crew, as SSCS does not have film crews, but Animal Planet do, & they are separate organisations. As it seems Paul Watson has only now seen the footage of the Bow & Arrows. If he knew earlier I am sure he would not have stated what he did at the time the Ady Gil sank, because if he did know about them he then would have also known that the footage would show them at a later date.

One question.

WHO shot all the videos that are on the SSCS site, Youtube, etc.

sarcasm123: you stated that ''On one hand these posters are obviously able to detect the difference between "excuse" and "reality" in the SS case, yet they completely ignore the similar "excuse" and "reality" in the Japanese whaling case.''

You seem to miss a larger issue. This man was bringing bows and arrows on a boat to protest the killing of whales. When conflict arise, temperments flare and adreniline rushes people may turn to drastic measures which push them to use their available defenses. This means that there could have been a very realy threat to human lives. I am sure being harpooned by a whaling boat or rammed by a whaling boat would be less than pleasant but if you are purposely putting yourself in front of people who are weilding this heavy equipment as a jobm its a risk that you have already decided to take.

Thats why this is an issue.

My 'confusion' is not helped by the numerous Sea Shepherd videos that are on the web. Assuming of course the videos that they claim are theirs are actually theirs.

Are these videos Animal Planets? If so are Sea Shepherd in breach of copyright laws for failing to acknolwedge copyright? Or are these Sea Shepherds? In fact at the start of these videos they give the distinct impression that they are owned by Sea Shepherd.

http://www.seashepherd.org/matilda/video.html

I saw the alleged bow and arrows on the Whale Wars episode. Berthune clearly explained his intention to sabotage a captured whale before it could be processes by shooting arrows with toxic chemicals applied to the points. If you don't believe Watson and his bunch of delusional tree huggers don't like to watch themselves on TV any chance they get then you are also delusional. Watson may have made his proclamation that there were no weapons on board as a PR stunt. These guys were slapping 5's and bragging about what they planned to do to the Japanese operations with each other before boarding their ships and committing piracy.

They claimed themselves on the show that the Dutch govt (whose flag the SS nutters sail under) would revoke their registry if the SS crew sent projectiles from the deck of the main ship Steve Irwin. The TV show clearly records them shooting flares directly at Japanese ships, throwing the butter acid and other projectiles. I would like to know whose flag they are now sailing under because the Dutch should have revoked it by now. Without a flag they are pirates.

@ KeikoTokyo

Jason Stewart, the Aucklander who was at the helm of the Ady Gil during the collison, told TV3 that Bethune had been given the go-ahead to take the bow and arrows on board. "It was never a secret that we were carrying bow and arrows on the Ady Gill and in fact we did have the full permission of the director of Sea Shepherd Paul Watson to be carrying those bow and arrows," he told 3News.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/3789030/Sea-Shepherd-ban-on-Bethune-bizarre

In a TV3 interview recorded before the Antarctic campaign, Mr Bethune displayed the weapons and said they would be used to shoot "nasty chemicals" into dead whales so the whaling ships would not take them on board.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia_pacific/10266219.stm

@ cleo

Thanks for evading my question. Bu in the meanwhile we know Bethune's reaction for being dumped:

Anti-whaling activist Pete Bethune says he is “completely gutted” by Sea Shepherd’s decision to ban him from future protests.

http://www.3news.co.nz/Bethune-gutted-by-Sea-Shepherd-ban/tabid/423/articleID/160030/Default.aspx

So he was never told what they are doing "for his benefit". Many thanks Mr. Watson, impeccable timing as usual, gurantees maximum media coverage.

Game, set, match to Tigris.

tigris;"Jason Stewart, the Aucklander who was at the helm of the Ady Gil during the collison, told TV3 that Bethune had been given the go-ahead to take the bow and arrows on board"

So who told Jason Stewart this? Did Paul Watson say this to him? Or was it his own assumption?

"The decision by anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd to ban New Zealander Pete Bethune from future protests was a bid to help him avoid jail time, says his wife Sharyn."

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/1066961/bethune-ban-for-his-own-good

Hmm, it keeps getting more interesting...

Hmm, it keeps getting more interesting...

Yup, so far we have heard of what? "4 reasons" for the ban, expelling. Looks like everybody gives a different one.

I take anything that comes out of the SS camp(incl. supporters) with a whale-ship of salt.

Zenny11;"I take anything that comes out of the SS camp(incl. supporters) with a whale-ship of salt."

That was from Bethunes wife! Maybe not the biggest supporter of SSCS at the moment!

I don't think she minds the pay-checks from the Interviews. ;)

Peter Bethune's father gave an interesting reason too.

"The decision by anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd to ban New Zealander Pete Bethune from future protests was a bid to help him avoid jail time, says his wife Sharyn."

But she doesn't support it. The article continues (link @ KeikoTokyo):

"I've heard a few opinions that are saying that it's the best move for him and the Japanese might go easy because they know he's not going down to the southern seas and is no longer part of Sea Shepherd," she said.

This view was held by Sea Shepherd's founder and president Paul Watson [surprise...] and deputy chief executive Chuck Swift, she said.

However, she did not believe the tactic was a good one and feared that the prosecution could use the Sea Shepherd ban against him. "It's very unfortunate, I feel, that it's just before the summing up of the trial."

@KeikoTokyo

So who told Jason Stewart this? Did Paul Watson say this to him? Or was it his own assumption?

we did have the full permission of the director of Sea Shepherd Paul Watson to be carrying those bow and arrows

That doesn't leave much room for interpretation. If the written word is not enough, here is the original news clip with picture and sound:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-tRB_kOMN4

Once again is Paul Watson there on tape saying he allowed the bow & arrow? Or is it just a crewmember/deckhand giving his personal views? The URL does not give any evidence other than 'here say'. PLEASE provide truth, NOT yours or others assumptions.

It's not hearsay however it is clearly slanderous. To go onto a national news station and make deliberate false allegations is clerly slanderous and as such I would expect Paul Watson to be taking him to court to clear his name.

Unless of course it's true.

HedaMadness, but who would he sue? A deckhand with no money? That would be so successful. Just as davidattokyo has been!

You see, I always thought that the reason to sue someone for slander was to clear your name, not for financial rewards.

According to you, the deckhand with no money has made a deliberately false allegation against Paul Watson. The vast majority of people on this website believe that allegation. The only way for Paul Watson to disprove this would be to successfully take him to court and sue him.