Sea Shepherd Paul Watson fires a projectile from Dutch vessel criminal platform.

[falcon221sprint]

There should be more people like SSCS.

Stop murdering life on Planet Earth.

[NRen2k5]

@falcon221sprint Stop being a sensationalist dick. SSCS are terrorist fucks and much more likely to be murderers than any whaler.

[InternationalCharity]

its called a flare dumbass

[shatros]

Japan a friendly country? Japan murders hundreds of innocent whales each year in violation of international law. In accordance with international law, any civilian may arrest and detain anyone who is caught illegally whaling. If it was me I would be boarding those vessals armed and take the whole lot of them back to Australia for trial. I would then confiscate the whaling vessals and destroy them.

[NRen2k5]

@shatros Murder is specifically the act of killing a person. It's not at all appropriate to describe the whale hunt.

And there's no "international law" making whaling illegal, nor is there any that allows civilians to arrest whalers, illegal or not. If you beg to differ, then please, by all means, cite it for me.

And boarding a vessel armed, with the intent to destroy it and kidnap its crew is a really bad idea, or a great way to get a bullet in the head. Hmm, you know what, go ahead and try.

[shatros]

@NRen2k5 The verb murder is defined by my Webster's dictionary as "deliberate and premeditated killing." It does not specify "person." However, one of the valid definitions of the noun "person" in my Webster's dictionary is "a sentient being." "Sentient" is further defined as "having the ability to think and reason" Whales have been repeatedly proven time and again to have these abilities.

[shatros]

@shatros Therefore killing a whale deliberately and with premeditation is consistant with the definition of murder. By the way, my thesaurus includes murder as a synonym for kill and slay. It is therefore completly appropriate to describe the killing of whales as murder.

[NRen2k5]

@shatros Okay, I'm going to keep the restraint to not call you a liar outright, but the Webster I'm reading defines murder as "the crime of unlawfully killing a person especially with malice aforethought", so I'm wondering what copy you have.

As for whales being sentient, therefore people and therefore capable of being murdered, come on. Talk about a stretch. And a serious hole in that logic is that even if some whales are sentient by some definition doesn't necessarily mean that minke are.

[shatros]

@NRen2k5 A basic and universally accepted principle of international law is that when two or more countries sign a treaty, that treaty is enforceable by all signatory nations upon all other signatory nations. In 1986 all IWC member nations (Japan, USA and Australia, among others, are members of the IWC) signed a treaty banning all commercial whaling. Since the Japanese whalers are selling the whale meat that defines them as commercial whalers.

[shatros]

@shatros In addition, the IWC has specifically set asside water around Antarctica as a protected whale sanctuary. This means that not only are IWC nations prohibited from commercial whaling there but all nations are prohibited from all forms of whaling within the sanctuary.

[shatros]

@shatros Also, the United Nations has banned commercial whaling in the waters around Antarctica. This means that virtually all nations have agreed to this ban.

[NRen2k5]

@shatros You're close but not quite right. First, the treaty didn't ban commercial whaling altogether, it put a moratorium on it. A ban is meant to be permanent, a moratorium is only temporary. Second, the same treaty allows lethal research whaling, with the requirement that the carcasses not go to waste. The Japanese satisfy that by butchering the whales for food. Sure, it ends up getting sold commercially, but that doesn't invalidate the research or otherwise violate the treaty.

[shatros]

@NRen2k5 While I certainly admit that for a civilian to board a vessal, especially to do so unarmed is probably not smart. Legally, to do so is within the rights of anyone under this specific circumstance. Another basic principle of international maritime law is that all individuals have the right and duty to enforce as well as they are able to, all applicable laws and treaties upon the high seas. This includes boarding a ship and arresting a captain who has commited an international crime.

[NRen2k5]

@shatros Sure as hell NOT under this specific circumstance. There's no law or treaty making the Japanese's antarctic whaling activities illegal. And I have some serious doubts that the general principle you're talking about is even true. Have you read that anywhere other than the lay media or Sea Shepherd promotional material?

[romika3]

Well, Well guess what we have learned from our SSCS contact. SSCS made very little money on Blue Rage, but now have found an opportunity to prey on the people of the Faroe Islands who harvest just over 200 pilot whales that are used to meet their need for meat. Blood in the water, close up photos. SSCS sees this as another opportunity to demonize a people and make money off a way of life.

[ThePersianofAsia]

that's a flare you idiot

[mightyhetfield22]

you guys need to read laws about the sea before you can understand what the sea sheps are doing wrong

[kdscott10]

What was the "projectile" -- butter, oil, anthrax, T-shirt, rugby ball? What damage was suffered ? You will have to do much better than this to generate any sympathy. We have many pictures of projectiles being shot from Japanese vessels, and we can state categorically that each one was lethal and killed a large mammal in a whale sanctuary.

[Truckman311977]

@kdscott10 What prof do you have that the bolts and screws dident come from the steve Irwin?? and who has rammed into other boats 8 times as we know of.. Paul Watson is a criminel that put other peoples lifes in danger.. and should get life sentence for what he is doing.. The only person breaking the law is him!!

[ArodWingfoot]

@kdscott10 Thats actually a good idea. A rugby ball! That's perfect! Lets have a game of rugby in the southern ocean! I'm being serious here, that would be sweet!

[jimmy18jim]

OMG!!

this was just a line!!

but what are the japanese doing?

the japanese have 12 watercanons,

they trow hard metal stuff at the Sea-Shepherds.

Steve irwin capitain Paul watson have been shot by a japanese whaler.

so i think the japanese are whrong and Sea-Shepherd and the Dutch gouverment are right.

the Dutch will not

[Truckman311977]

@jimmy18jim

1. The watercannons aint aiming against Steve Irwin EVER!!, they are there to protect their own ship! and as long as international LAWS says it is ok to fish whale, the sea shepard is breaking the law.

2. Steve Watson has NEVER been shot, i KNOW how a bullit looks like after being shot, and hit something. and that bullit has NEVER been shot!!

3. What does the crew of Steve Irwin throw over to the Japanese boats?? bottles, of GLAS!! arent they hard??

4. GET A LIFE!!!

[Varjo123]

This sure is fun, it seems that we have few japanese anti-SS here also. So, let me ask few questions then. Is it really that fun to eat 4000 times over regulations mercury-tocix whalemeat and give birth to retarded children due mercury-poisoning?

Second, i dont think the name "Southern Whale Sanctuary" means "Southern whaler's heaven", though, japan is breaking so many international laws and quotas every year so i dont think that they even care, or maybe they just misread it lol :)?

[Truckman311977]

@Varjo123 And Paul Watson aint breaking any laws?? He has broke laws in EVERY episode of Whale wars!! Come visit me and i will BBQ some whalemeat to you :)

[ArodWingfoot]

@Varjo123 The japanese where allowed to set their own quota's.

[killerspartan73]

I would give the Japanese torpedoes to sink the Sea Shepherd and send those ECO terrrorist's to the bottom.....HaHaHaHaHaHaHaHa

[thomas93jaap]

Dutch proud!!!

Hopefully the firework hit a jap in the eye

[Usuck573]

I agree with sending official navy ships to get the Japanese out but i also think someone should send a ship to kick the sea shepherd out of atlantic waters. They have no authority to be attacking Japanese ships even if the ships are trespassing. Also whether you agree with the sea shepherd or not they are literally RADICAL ACTIVISTS, they are no better than the suicide bombers terrorists or any radical islamic person. Plus they could start a trend of anti whale ships that could start a crysis

[epyon02]

australian government should flex muscle in australian territitorial waters including antartica including deploying some military force and if japaneese dont like it seize their ships for entering territorial waters

[drkuroneko]

It is not a "vessel" Steve Irwin is registered as a yacht in Netherland for personal pleasure use. It is true that the whole organization is for the pleasure of Watson, but Dutch gov't is working on taking away the license.

[patzivota22]

Oh... a pleasure vessel... that makes perfect sense.

This "pleasure vessel" is crumbling an entire whaling industry to its knees.

This "pleasure vessel" cuts Japan's illegal whaling quota in half, year, after year, slamming their corrupt industry in fun debt!

And I'm sorry... whaling in Antarctic coastal waters and whaling commercially and trading endangered whale meat between countries are all illegal. Not even to mention that they stay away and refuse to use non-lethal research. Go Japan!

[oceansupport]

never drop the Dutch flag!

[seseljsrs]

Is this the same vessel Sea Shepherd uses to ram Japanese fishing boats?

Much more serious than firing flares, IMO.

Notice the pirate flag, says it all.

There's little doubt both the Dutch and Australian governments support this eco-terrorism, but don't forget a number of other parties, notably the western news media, and the insurance giant Lloyd's of London.

[mikee1434]

I think it was a signal flare. I remember they used them on the Faroe Islands police after dumping fuel in the ocean.

Let's hope teh Dutch final drop their flag and Australia detains and arrests the crew