Prominent anti-whaling environmentalist Paul Watson, founder of Sea Shepherd and co-founder of Greenpeace, was arrested in Greenland on Sunday under an international warrant issued by Japan.
Watson arrived in Nuuk aboard the ship John Paul DeJoria and was detained by Greenland police, who will seek his detention pending a decision on his extradition to Japan. Watson’s arrest occurred during a mission to intercept Japan’s new factory whaling ship, Kangei Maru, in the North Pacific.
The Captain Paul Watson Foundation (CPWF) expressed surprise, noting their lawyers believed the red notice related to Watson’s previous anti-whaling actions in the Antarctic had been withdrawn.
Watson, known for his direct-action tactics featured in the TV series Whale Wars, has a history of confrontations with whaling ships. The Kangei Maru, Japan’s first new whaling ship in over 70 years, is suspected of preparing for Southern Ocean whaling, despite official denials.
