Sea Shepherd skipper boards whaling vessel , page 1

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Topic started on 15-2-2010 @ 02:18 AM by Maybe...maybe not

Sea Shepherd skipper boards whaling vessel

www.smh.com.au

The skipper of the Sea Shepherd vessel that was sunk in a Southern Ocean collision last month has today boarded the Japanese whaling security vessel that hit his boat.

New Zealander Pete Bethune used a power-ski, under the cover of darkness, to clamber aboard the Shonan Maru No 2, said the anti-whaling group's leader, Paul Watson.

“His mission is to attempt a citizen's arrest of the skipper of Shonan Maru No.2 for the destruction of the Ady Gil and attempted murder of six Ady Gil crew,” Captain Watson said

(visit the link for the full news article)

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 02:18 AM by Maybe...maybe not

G'day ATS Members

Are these the good guys or the bad guys?

Nobody else is doing anything worth mentioning to help the whales.....

So, I say they're the good guys.

I also say they deserve our support, even though they're out their on the ragged edge at times.

What do you think?

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

www.smh.com.au
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 15-2-2010 by Maybe...maybe not]

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 02:48 AM by PayMeh

This is like jumping in front of a train then trying to charge the train company with attempted murder.. what a load of BS.

Although their intentions are honorable, they are going about it entirely the wrong way. Their actions border on complete and utter idiocy. They put peoples lives in unnecessary danger in order to receive press attention in hopes of rallying people to their cause.

While the whaling ships are operating due to a loophole in the laws concerning whaling, it is still perfectly legal. If you want to close the loophole, it needs to be done through litigation.

What these activist are doing is nothing short of piracy and should be dealt with accordingly. They can stalk them and yell at them all they want, but the moment they launch stink bombs and board vessels on multiple occasions then it is nothing less than an act of tyranny and if the whalers were to execute them once they are on board then it is their prerogative, legal, and understandable.

The only people I give kudos to are the whalers for the amount of patience they have showed while dealing with these people.

[edit on 15-2-2010 by PayMeh]

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 02:52 AM by Kryties

Bloody oath they deserve our support! The Japanese have been laughing in our collective Australian faces for years now, claiming 'scientific research' when our entire country knows they are lying through their teeth.

And then what do the Japanese do? They deliberately rammed their massive whaling ship into the relatively tiny Ady Gil - in a clear attempt to murder them. It's an absolute bloody disgrace and I am 100% behind any attempts by the crew of the Ady Gil, or the Sea Shepherd, to arrest these murderers and bring them to the justice that is long overdue.

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 02:53 AM by Maybe...maybe not

reply to post by PayMeh

G'day PayMeh

I agree with a lot of what you have writtenn

The problem is that if we wait for litigation to stop the Japanese whaling, thousands of whales will be killed whilst we are waiting.

I just don't want to see those whales killed.

By the way, I'm a long way from being a "whale saving greenie"!

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

[edit on 15-2-2010 by Maybe...maybe not]

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 02:54 AM by Kryties

Double Post, woops.

[edit on 15/2/2010 by Kryties]

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 03:02 AM by Maybe...maybe not

reply to post by Kryties

G'day Kryties

I agree with you.

Nobody else will do anything useful, so all power to Watson & Co!

By the way, I think that georgeous Ady Gill vessel was always designed to be trashed, thereby evoking a stronger response because such a beautiful boat was destroyed.

I don't people would have been anywhere near as responsive, if an ugly old tug boat had been sunk instead.

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 03:06 AM by StevenDye

Way I see it, these people are doing what most people on this site say we all 'should do'. Theyre standing up for their cause when the government is failing them...

If everything should go to pot in America and a law states the police can remove your weapons....will you sit by and let them as you try to fight a legal case...or will you as many members claim, stand up and fight?

Standing up to fight would put people in unnecessary danger too....but many people claim and are praised for saying they would not let this happen. These people are only doing similar actions, putting their lives on the line for a cause they believe in...of course they want people to notice, part of having a cause is needing more poeple to join it.

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 03:09 AM by PayMeh

G'day back ^^

Yeah I don't like the fact they are operating due to a loophole either. And from what I understand from all the news exposure, Australian government has been turning a blind eye to the whole mess for way too long.

I agree something needs to be done, but I have no tolerance for "wrong" being protested with "wrong." Neither side comes out the hero and that's what this situation needs.

The fact that the captain is a founder of Greenpeace and his departure from said organization was due to his extreme methods should speak volumes. There is a fine line of legality that you have to walk when protesting things otherwise it's hard to tell who the bad guys are. His lack of understand this is the whole reason this thread is even here.

And for what it's worth, in response to the gentleman who brought up the whole right to bare arms bit, it is in no way parallel to this situation. It's a wildlife conservation issue first and foremost. They are not fighting government oppression, they are fighting "fishing" of an underpopulated species.

Cheers

[edit on 15-2-2010 by PayMeh]

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 04:10 AM by rnaa

reply to post by PayMeh

What these activist are doing is nothing short of piracy and should be dealt with accordingly. They can stalk them and yell at them all they want, but the moment they launch stink bombs and board vessels on multiple occasions then it is nothing less than an act of tyranny and if the whalers were to execute them once they are on board then it is their prerogative, legal, and understandable.

I think you meant 'piracy' not 'tyranny' but no matter.

The legal fact of the matter is is that it is the Japanese Whaling Fleet that is committing piracy and theft. They have invaded Australian waters in violation of International law and do so with impunity since the Australian Government is afraid of offending the Japanese and getting caught up in a trade war.

Whaling is not the only issue in the illegal Japanese fishing industry. They have recently been implicated in thetheft of 10 billion dollars worth of Bulefin Tuna from Australian waters. Americans don't like them stealing either. Nor do Italians. Nor do Pacific Islanders that depend on their ocean catches for the very existence. Nor do the Russians.

Are you beginning to see a pattern here? The Japanese fishing fleet is overwhelmingly a pirate fleet that doesn't give a flying fornication what it kills or whose territorial waters it kills in.

Since the Australian (and to a lesser extent the New Zealand) government refuses to protect is own territorial waters, Greenpeace has stepped in ensure that the issue is not drowned.

By the way, your 'stepping in front of a train' analogy doesn't hold water. A train is on rails and has no choice about where it is going. The "Ady Gil" had broken off action with the illegal whaling fleet and was standing station, essentially unpowered, but definitely not maneuvering, near by the "Sea Shepard", preparing to return to New Zealand (I think) when the Japanese fleet's 'security ship', the "Shonan Maru 2" ran it over. It had not 'stepped out in front of an oncoming train" by any definition. It had withdrawn from the 'conflict' altogether. It certainly had no interest in engaging with a Japanese Warship, even if it is disguised as a 'private security vessel'.

Video of the encounter is here

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 04:22 AM by ANNED

If caught the captain is looking at a long jail term in a Japanese prison.

www.nytimes.com...

The captain of the Japanese ship can hold anyone that boards his ship till he goes back to japan and there is nothing any other country can say or do to stop him.

International Maritime Bureau (IMB)
the IMB defines piracy as:

“an act of boarding (or attempted boarding) with the intent to commit theft or any other crime and with the intent or capability to use force in furtherance of that act.”

You know if the Japanese catch him they will make a show of convicting him and giving him a long prison term

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 04:31 AM by Maybe...maybe not

reply to post by ANNED

G'day ANNED

It will be very interesting to watch this develop.

On the one hand, I agree with you that Bethune could be in a lot of trouble.

On the other hand, Watson, Bethune & Co will thrive on this publicity & use it to drive their cause harder than ever.

Kind regards
Maybe...maybe not

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 07:46 AM by Zelong

reply to post by ANNED

I think not mattie

Captain Bethune boarded the whaling ship to exercise his Right as a New Zealander to a citizen's arrest of the Captain of the Shonan Maru 2. The First Mate of the Shonan Maru 2 Now should be manoeuvring the ship to the closest port being New Zealand or Australia for the allegation to be heard by Our Maritime Laws!

This has to Stop.

Zelong.

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 07:48 AM by light-matter

Man just goes to show you how nuts these animal extremist terrorists are, they are the ones that should be harpooned for their terrorism. But may God have mercy on them!

[mod edit: spam removed]

[edit on 15-2-2010 by 12m8keall2c]

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 09:56 AM by grey580

I've seen whale wars. And what can I say. The guys on the Steve Irwin are dangerous idiots.
If the whole lot of them win Darwin Awards I wouldn't be surprised in the least.

They are running around the ocean with an untrained crew of vigilanties.
And whenever the Japanese do anything they go crying to the media about it.

Now as for the Japanese. Well that whole scientific purpose bs is crap. If it's for scientific purpose then don't sell the meat.
Australia and NZ need to butch up and send out the Navy and politely tell the Japanese fleet to head on back to Japan or be sunk. Your choice.

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 10:01 AM by jrod

As much as I hate whaling, I have to say the Sea Shepherd captain was just plain stupid. If someone where to board my boat without permision and with the intent of harming the crew or vessel I believe I would be justified in using deadly force. This guy is lucky to be alive.

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 10:10 AM by stephinrazin

I feel bad for the whales, but really ist that the most pressing issue right now? Come on ever think about how many human lives were spent to keep the gas for the hippys boat affordable? I don't know what the whale "warriors" were wearin, but chances are it was made by a human slave. How can people try so hard to fight one injustice, and at the same time ignore the glaringly obvious ones. This is what gets me when animal activists in general judge me for eating meat, or for not defending animals with the same vehemence of human being. I love animals. Every animal I own is a stray, but my money and my efforts are going to save HUMANKIND.

reply posted on 15-2-2010 @ 10:44 AM by Zelong

reply to post by jrod

What, did you read the article. Who was harming the crew or vessel ?

If someone where to board my boat without permision and with the intent of harming the crew or vessel I believe I would be justified in using deadly force.

Captain Bethune could of peed on the wheelhouse and the Captain of the Shonan Maru 2 would of thought it was raining.

Source:
Captain Bethune clambered aboard despite nets and anti-boarding spikes, and evaded detection by hiding on top of the wheelhouse for 90 minutes. When dawn broke he knocked on the door and presented his orders for the skipper to surrender.

So that proves it.
If Captain Bethune had any other intent other than his "citizen's arrest" he had ALL the Time he Needed to Slit the Captain off the Shonan Maru 2's throat and Blow the engine-room