US court brands whale activists Sea Shepherd 'pirates'

[The Straight Story]

US court brands whale activists Sea Shepherd 'pirates'

A court in the US has labelled conservationist group Sea Shepherd "pirates".

Judge Alex Kozinski said the group's "aggressive and high-profile attacks" on Japan's whaling fleet endangered lives, ordering them to stop.

US-based Sea Shepherd has for many years chased the Japanese whalers, attempting to disrupt the annual hunt.

The two sides have frequently clashed at sea, blaming each other for collisions and damage.

Three Sea Shepherd ships have been involved a stand-off and clashes with the whaling fleet in the icy waters of the Southern Ocean for several weeks.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21589352

[Bonobo]

1. How the hell could they have gotten that idea?

[DonCoquixote]

2. Tokyo must have bribed some people.

Killing whales so that they have their heitage, yet unable to see that when whales are nomore, their fishing heritage will go with them.

[Scootaloo]

3. A "heritage" of fifty years ago

And tied to waters nowhere near Antarctica...

[CBGLuthier]

21. tell that to the judges

they might have an interesting reply to your UNFOUNDED allegations.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. Related Thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014409354

Both the Aussie and Brit papers got some of the US court structure wrong, but it is not that important.

The Appeals court layed a smackdown on the trial judge that has not been seen for a while.

[The Straight Story]

5. Thanks for the link

I don't get over to breaking news a lot

[TheMightyFavog]

6. Does this mean that legally, the US Navy can take action against them?

To tell you the truth, I'm surprised that the Japanese have not either sent a couple small JMSDF vessels to escort the whalers or stationed JMSDF marines aboard the whaling vessels to act as boarding parties.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

9. The JMSDF could do what you pointed out and more under the LOS

[TheMightyFavog]

11. Doesn't the LOS give pretty well much any navy in the world carte blanche to shoot pirates on sight?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

12. Not quite that severe IIRC

A vessel needs to fly the flag of a recognized nation or else it can be stopped, boarded, searched, and even scuttled. SSCS/Watson has lost national registry previously and works hard not to lose it again on their ships. It was covered in an early episode of Whale Wars. IIRC that is one of the reasons they use RIBs and not their main ship for attacking the whalers.

As long as it is operating under a nation's flag, technically it is not a pirate and permission is needed from that nation before boarding or taking other action.

[gejohnston]

15. Japan would more likely use their coast guard instead of Navy

for such things.

[theKed]

19. Y'know

This kinda brings back memories of the Canada/Portugal "Turbot War" in the Grand Banks, culminating in the Canadian navy firing on, and capturing, an illegal fishing trawler.

[msongs]

7. are they murdering women and kids with drone attacks? nt

[woo me with science]

17. +1

[lonestarnot]

8. Pirates. Really? Pirates?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

10. SSCS has pretty well shredded the LOS

while claiming to answer to a higher cause.

[lonestarnot]

13. Thanks for those acronyms.

[NightWatcher]

14. I'm so glad I'll never need another security clearance

It allows me the opportunity to pal around with such nefarious groups as SSCS and other environmentalist groups.

[Bake]

16. If the Sea Shepherds are pirates (my ass!), the whalers are murderers!

My only gripe with the Sea Shepherds is that they aren't MORE aggressive. I'd freakin' torpedo the whalers. Sink the bastards and then harpoon them.

Bake

[TheMightyFavog]

20. If Sea Shepherd used DEADLY force, all bets would be off.

No country would let their ships into their territorial waters. They would have no way to refuel or resupply their ships.

They'd be fair game for any navy to use deadly force against them.

I do not think any of Sea Sheperd's vessels would be ale to last long against one of these, much less an Antiship missile...

[Bake]

22. You are quite right of course.

It's just that the whalers piss me off royally! They've rammed the Sea Shepherd boats, cut one beautiful speedboat in half and sank it, and physically injured members of the Sea Shepherd crew. But nobody does jack shit to them. And did I mention they are killing some of the most beautiful of God's creatures?

I hope they all sink.

Bake

[me b zola]

18. Capt Watson has a response: