Greenland arrested anti-whaling activist Paul Watson
Paul Watson is one of the most famous Whale Hunting opponents in the world. Now, the 73-year-old is being arrested in Greenland. It is still undecided whether he will be extradited to Japan. His supporters are urging Greenland to release Watson.
The Greenlandic Police reportedly arrested the environmentalist and anti-whaling activist Paul Watson. The arrest warrant was based on an international arrest warrant issued by Japan, the police stated. The arrest took place at the port of Nuuk, the capital of the Danish autonomous territory. Watson was to be presented before a district court, which was asked to keep him in custody until a decision was made regarding his possible extradition to Japan.
Watson's Foundation, the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, declared that more than a dozen police officers had boarded the ship and taken the activists into custody in handcuffs. The ship was carrying 25 voluntary crew members on its way to the North Pacific to intercept a Japanese whaling ship.
The arrest is likely related to Watson's earlier whaling interventions in the Antarctic. "We urge the Danish government to release Captain Watson and not to comply with this politically motivated request," stated Locky MacLean, one of the Foundation's directors. Greenland is an autonomous territory of Denmark.
Whale Warrior
Watson was featured in the Reality-TV series "Whale Wars" and gained attention through direct actions, including confrontations with whaling ships at sea. However, this also put him in conflict with authorities.
He was arrested in 2012 in Germany based on an extradition order from Costa Rica but was released on bail. Japan also filed an extradition request. Japan accused Watson of endangering the lives of whalers during interventions in the Antarctic. In recent years, he has lived in countries like France and the United States.
According to the environmental organization WWF, the countries Japan, Norway, and Iceland continue to conduct whaling: Japan and Iceland for supposed scientific purposes, and Norway officially for commercial purposes, in opposition to the Whaling Moratorium.
- The environmental organization WWF has expressed its concerns about the arrest of Paul Watson, advocating for Greenland's release of the well-known anti-whaling activist, known for his work in protecting the endangered species of Whale.
- The Captain Paul Watson Foundation, who were en route to the North Pacific to intercept a Japanese whaling ship, was disrupted when more than a dozen police officers boarded the ship, resulting in the arrest of Watson and his crew members.
- Greenland's arrest of Watson might be related to his past interventions against Japanese whaling activities in the Antarctic, with environmental groups like WWF advocating for nature protection, urging Danish authorities not to extradite Watson to Japan.
