Freed anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson arrives in France

I hope this story doesn’t result in another day of sore-loser digital warriors continuing their incessant slandering of Watson.

France 24 reports that onlookers clapped and shouted "Bravo!" as Watson wheeled his luggage through Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport.

One woman handed him a balloon.

The love is real!

I admire this guy and I applaud France. It takes a lot of courage to take sustained and real action that makes a difference, and he has been brave in calling our Japan's whale meat hunting for what it is - a complete sham.

I have taken great delight in him irritating hard headed Ojisans who are misty eyed over a 'tradition' that is no more legitimate than in any other part of the sea faring world, but has been stopped there in the interests of conservation and ecological management.

You only have to see the Kujira meat vending machines and restaurants selling whale meat to know there ain't no science behind Japan's whale hunting.

Kudos to you, sir.

Adept at gaining publicity, he gained notoriety for "direct-action" tactics such as ramming vessels and using acoustic weapons, water cannon and stink bombs.

If you look at the footage of the sinking of the Ady Gill it was the Japanese whalers who were doing the ramming.

The water cannons and stink bombs (butric acid - rancid butter) are used in most protests all over the world. The Japanese weren't shy about using their own water cannons either. The whaling in the southern oceans was another international war Japan lost. No wonder they are bitter.

Watson is still on the Interpol’s wanted list. He’s always welcome to Japan to stand trial and clear his name.

Watson is still on the Interpol’s wanted list.

Obviously didn’t stop him from traveling to France, did it?

Keep having a big long sulk about losing this. It's a delight to watch

Supporters of whaling accuse their critics of double standards given the methods used to produce much of the millions of tons of meat from other animals consumed every year.

When were cows, pigs, chickens or sheep considered threatened or endangered. The argument doesn't wash. So keep 'blubbering' away.

Meiyouwenti

He’s always welcome to Japan to stand trial and clear his name.

I wholeheartedly agree, Tamarama-san. These annoying “hard-headed Ojisans” are always fight, fight, fighto!

They need to learn to “rest in peace.”

Macron did the right thing here, and it shows. He's won some brownie points with the French public.

Obviously didn’t stop him from traveling to France, did it?

Under international France is supposed to arrest him. Let see if France follows the law.  I feel sorrow for any French national who is in Japan and gets in trouble.

maybe he can get a real job

@Turbogranpa

Under international France is supposed to arrest him. Let see if France follows the law.  I feel sorrow for any French national who is in Japan and gets in trouble.

He is under red notice, it's really depend on each country would proceed or not. Remember many democratic activist in many authoritarian state regime, they are under red notice when they are abroad.

There's no under obligation that other countries that received red notice should follow up, it's voluntary.

https://ngm.com.au/interpol-red-notice-abuse-proposed-reforms/

That smile when he arrived at French airport is true happiness being escaped from Japan hostage justice system. He's happy, his family happy and all whales around the globe are happy.

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%BA%BA%E8%B3%AA%E5%8F%B8%E6%B3%95

@Dango bong

maybe he can get a real job

Do you consider people who are working in govt subsidized whale slaughter industry, from catching whale to packaging they are doing real job? Those job won't exist without govt subsidy, while at the same time making whale extinct.

Paul Watson violent history.

Watson tells Animal Rights 2002 Conference in Washington DC that if a person dies from

 one of his actions, he would consider it “collateral damage”. He believes it is not possible to

 “commit violence against non-sentient objects. Property damage is not violence.”

https://www.icrwhale.org/eng/history.pdf

Watson is a terrorist, there is no justification to his attempts to hide behind his so called eco posturing.

Macron has reached a new low, harbouring this thug.

The people of Japan would never hold the people of France responsible for Macron crass cynical political chicanery.

There is little to no difference between the just stop oil mob, that delight and justify blocking the passage of life saving emergency vehicles, ambulances. fire crews, rushing to save lives and Watsons threats of violent intimidation.

Treat them ALL with harsh contempt, locking them up is leniency.

If we all stopped commenting , Watson would fade away into the sunset.

Whales WERE endangered and thats why the world stopped whaling....Japan continues to do so.....

I think the industry here is on life support and a trajectory to cease.

But the way we farm animals in the west is also a disgrace, with practices like intensive farming.

We are just a nasty greedy species ourselves....no need for recourse to specific countries.

The cruelty is world wide.

Watson is a Canadian American. Why doesn't he go back home? It looks like France loves Watson but most nations don't like him.

Paris has a veto on EU foreign policy. Macron clearly pulled the strings here and called it in.

Certain quarters forget that when one signs on the dotted line for a political-financial bloc, it means that sovereignty is given up.

Watson has to many friends in high places in the EU. His lawyer is one and then expand it from there. The photos indicate the welcome wagon was organized.

So good to see the rule of law prevail.

On his release on Tuesday, Watson had announced his intention to return to France, where his two young children attend school.

Read the article a bit more thoroughly.

Macron had no choice but to act once Brigitte Bardot promptly contacted him, on his own phone, upon the Danish colonial authorities doing Tokyo's bidding. He jumped on the horn to Copenhagen and cajoled/instructed them to cease and desist. Proof is in the pudding.

Whatever it is, it's clear this time Europe has taken the side of a criminal.

Whatever the political theater behind the scenes (which only makes a hash of European claims to Rule of Law), the Danish excuse was really quite thin.

It's true that Danish (and for example German) penal codes specifically mandate consideration be given for time in custody. I'd also point out, however, given the potential severity of Watson's charges, any reduction on that basis can be compensated for by taking a slightly dimmer view on his Handlungsunwert and Erfolgsunwert.

Unless the plan, had Japan given a "satisfactory assurance", been to keep him in Europe on extradition appeals (Europe making excuses to not hand over criminals on "human rights" grounds) for years until they can plausibly release him on the grounds he has been in the system so long he has gone over a plausible sentence would have been.

The correct decision by the Danish, and well done France. Enjoy Christmas with your family Mr Watson, the season of forgiveness and joy to all.

Tokyo accuses Watson of injuring a Japanese crew member with a stink bomb intended to disrupt the whalers' activities

Too bad only Japan police have the lazy, overused and abused law called "disruption of business" to arrest virtually anyone.

Grok2:

The case involving Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd and the Japanese government touches on several aspects of admiralty law, particularly concerning jurisdiction, piracy, and the legal implications of direct action on the high seas. Here's a detailed analysis based on the provided information:

Jurisdiction and Flag State Responsibility:

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a vessel on the high seas is subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the flag state. In this case, the Japanese vessel Shonan Maru No. 2 was flying the Japanese flag, giving Japan jurisdiction over incidents that occur on or related to the ship. Japan charged Watson with crimes including accomplice to assault and ship trespass for an incident in 2010 where Sea Shepherd's actions allegedly damaged the Japanese vessel and injured a crew member.

Piracy and Acts of Violence:

The Japanese government has argued that Watson's actions could constitute piracy under UNCLOS, which defines piracy as acts of violence or detention for private ends by the crew or passengers of a private ship against another ship on the high seas. However, Sea Shepherd has long maintained that its actions were not for private ends but for the enforcement of international treaties and the protection of marine life, challenging the piracy label.

Legal Actions and Extradition:

An international arrest warrant, known as a "Red Notice", was issued by Interpol at Japan's request for Watson in 2012, based on these charges. Watson was arrested in Greenland in July 2024 when his ship docked for refueling, leading to extradition proceedings. Greenland, being an autonomous territory of Denmark, does not have an extradition treaty with Japan, but Denmark's justice ministry considered the request based on general international law and domestic extradition laws.

Outcome and Implications:

Ultimately, Denmark decided not to extradite Watson to Japan, citing the long duration since the incident (over 14 years) and the nature of the acts as factors in their decision. This was seen as a victory for Watson, who argued that his actions were part of a broader fight for marine conservation rather than personal gain.

Legal and Political Ramifications:

This case highlights the tension between environmental activism and national legal frameworks. Watson's actions, while controversial, were aimed at enforcing what he and Sea Shepherd viewed as international conservation obligations. However, these actions were seen by Japan as violations of their sovereignty and maritime laws. The legal battle also brought attention to the complexities of international law enforcement on the high seas, where jurisdiction can be contested, and the enforcement of environmental protection can clash with national interests.

The case also illustrates the potential for political influence in legal matters, with opinions from various sources suggesting that Japan's pursuit of Watson was partly motivated by a desire to set an example for other activists and deter future direct actions against their whaling operations.

In conclusion, the case of Paul Watson versus the Japanese government under admiralty law demonstrates the nuanced interplay between international maritime law, national sovereignty, and environmental activism. It underscores the challenges of enforcing conservation laws on the high seas and the implications of direct action by non-state actors in international waters.

He should stand trial in Japan

Both Denmark and France have ensured that the next time someone is in Japan while beng wanted in those countries, the Japanese will have no reason to accomodate extradition to France. Big step backwards for the rule of law. Watson should have gone to Japan, faced the charges and proved his innocence, if that is his position.

Has nothing to do with anti or pro whaling. Violence on the high seas is a crime.

Sea Sheperd was merely enforcing conservation of marine life in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Australia and New Zealand couldn't be bothered, but did offer ship berthing, refueling and resupply services to Sea Shepherd in tacit support for their actions.

The_BeagleToday  03:39 pm JST

Sea Sheperd was merely enforcing conservation of marine life in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. Australia and New Zealand couldn't be bothered, 

Sea Shepherd had, and still has, no legal authority to be "enforcing" anything in International Waters, Australian and New Zealand's EEZ, or any waters to which they file a claim.

Vigilantism is illegal in every country because if you don't have the authority and jurisdiction, you can't go around playing policeman just because you feel like it.

Your thinking: The police didn't catch the guy so I shot him. I'm such a hero.

I have not seen one comment here talking about the moral (as opposed to ecological) case against whaling. Whales have the largest brains of any animal on earth. A Sperm Whale's brain is six times the weight of a human brain. They are not technological beings, because they don't have opposable thumbs like us, but they may well be more intelligent than us, and more advanced socially, morally and even spiritually. They communicate with each other across vast distances, in a language we don't understand. Surely we can make space in this world to avoid killing and eating such mysterious creatures, who might just be our older brothers and sisters.

Congratulations, glad to see him back home with the family in time for Christmas.

""In the 2000s and 2010s, Sea Shepherd played a rough game of cat and mouse with Japanese ships as they sought to slaughter hundreds of whales every year for "scientific purposes"".

Scientific Purposes!? so what is it that these so called scientists need to know , may by we can google it for them and help their research, LOL

Supporters of whaling accuse their critics of double standards given the methods used to produce much of the millions of tons of meat from other animals consumed every year.

There is no equality even among animals

KuribozuToday  09:11 pm JST

I have not seen one comment here talking about the moral (as opposed to ecological) case against whaling. Whales have the largest brains of any animal on earth. A Sperm Whale's brain is six times the weight of a human brain.

Brain size alone is not a measure of intelligence. The encephalization quotient, meaning the ratio of the brain to body size is one utilized measure. Humans, some primates and dolphins all have smaller brains than Sperm Whales but they have much higher encephalization quotient ratios. The EQ of a Human is 7.5, a Dolphin 4.5, a Chimpanzee 2.5, a Dog 1.2, a Cat 1.0 and a Sperm Whale 0.58 despite having the largest brain of any animal on Earth.

Additiionally, higher intelligence is also related to Neuronal Density, particularly in the cerebral cortex where the connection complexities are a greater indicator of intelligence than brain size. Extremely intelligent birds such as crows and parrots have very small brains, but they have densely packed neurons.

WoodyLeeToday  10:02 pm JST

""In the 2000s and 2010s, Sea Shepherd played a rough game of cat and mouse with Japanese ships as they sought to slaughter hundreds of whales every year for "scientific purposes"".

Scientific Purposes!? so what is it that these so called scientists need to know , may by we can google it for them and help their research, LOL

As with all fisheries targets the scientists were calculating populations, feeding and migration patterns. This type of research is conducted on many marine species (mostly fish) to calculate sustainability and harvesting targets. In gthe case of whaling, the IWC Moratorium on Commercal Whaling went into effect in 1986 because of a major drop in populations. The Moratorium was to be reviewed every 10 years to consider modifications or retractions of the 1986 Moratorium based on changes in whale populations. Japan's research programs provided data to the IWC Scientific Comittee, however the anti-whaling faction within the IWC ensured that the Moratorium would never be modified or lifted regardless of the Scientific Committee's findings. In fact the continuous attacks on Japan's research was to ensure that data did not get presented. For example, that the Minke Whales have clearly made an enormous come back, whereas other species did not, is a widely recognized fact by scientists on both sides of the argument. Norway and Iceland have continued to hunt whales commercially since 1986 by objecting to the Moratorium. Japan tried to follow the IWC rules but was thwarted and left the IWC in 2019 and now hunts in it's own waters and EEZ. The IWC, originally created as an international organization to manage the whaling industry became an anti-whaling organization. Really nothing to laugh about if you study the subject.

Once again, the people who think he would get a fair trial in Japan are delusional.

Brain size alone is not a measure of intelligence. 

Intelligence as defined by who? Humans? Humans have evolved capabilities arising from their opposable thumbs that allow them to create technology in their terrestrial environment. Which is why we have the capability to, for example, kill whales on an industrial scale. Whales have no comparable capability, because they are not technological beings. But we know whales do have complex social structures and evolved capabilities for echolocation, navigation and for thriving in a marine environment consisting of huge, deep oceans that span the globe. Humans and whales have evolved to the top of their respective, but radically different evolutionary environments. Whale brains process information in a completely different way and for different purposes that ours do. Whales probably have the highest number of cortical neurons among mammals, including humans. There is certainly a moral case to be made for not killing and eating such mysterious creatures, whose intelligence and culture must be profound in ways we are not able to grasp.