Anti-whaling activist Paul Watson detained in Greenland

Veteran anti-whaling campaigner Paul Watson, detained in Greenland due to an extradition request from Japan, has spent decades confronting whalers and seal hunters on the high seas. Known for his aggressive tactics, Watson has long been a thorn in the side of Japan, one of the few countries still practising commercial whale hunting alongside Iceland and Norway. Arrested on July 21 in Greenland, a Danish autonomous territory, the 73-year-old American-Canadian was held under an Interpol “red notice” issued by Japan. A Greenland court is set to decide on Thursday whether to extend his detention.

French actress and animal rights advocate Brigitte Bardot has come to Watson’s defence, accusing the Japanese government of launching a “global manhunt” against him. French President Emmanuel Macron has also urged Danish authorities to oppose the extradition, according to his office.

Watson, who founded the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society in 1977, has dedicated his life to marine conservation. He was expelled from the organisation in 2022 following internal disputes, leaving him disillusioned. Despite this, several branches, including the French chapter, remain supportive. Watson’s early career included stints with the Canadian Coast Guard and Norwegian and Swedish merchant marine ships.

Capt Paul Watson, an elderly man who has spent his life defending voiceless cetaceans has been imprisoned in Denmark. An evil Danish 🇩🇰/Japanese 🇯🇵 pact to silence him? @Statsmin @DanishMFA #FreePaulWatson pic.twitter.com/G30DyfrT2e

— Gloria Crisci Ⓥ (@CrisciGloria) August 15, 2024

Watson gained media attention through his reality TV series “Whale Wars” and his direct-action approach, involving tactics such as chasing, harassing, and ramming illegal whaling and fishing vessels. His arsenal includes acoustic weapons, water cannons, and stink bombs. He has sunk over a dozen boats and carried out numerous raids.

Drawing on his communications degree, Watson has effectively rallied support and funding from celebrities like Brigitte Bardot, Sean Penn, Pierce Brosnan, and Pamela Anderson. Born in Toronto in 1950, he grew up in a New Brunswick fishing village before leaving home at 15. His commitment to whale conservation began in 1975, sparked by a confrontation with Soviet whalers.

Watson has stated that the survival of marine biodiversity is crucial for the planet’s health. Over 45 years, he has led daring operations from Siberia to Japan, saving thousands of whales and exposing illegal whaling activities. In 2010, a clash with Japanese boats resulted in the sinking of Sea Shepherd’s high-tech vessel Ady Gil in the Southern Ocean. Tokyo accused him of causing injury and damage to its whaling ship in the Antarctic in 2020, an allegation he denies, asserting that his crew has never harmed anyone.

Claiming to be a co-founder of Greenpeace, Watson parted ways with the group over differing protest methods. His radical tactics have earned him the label of “eco-terrorist” from both former allies and the Japanese government. Previously detained in the Netherlands in 1997, Watson lived in exile on the high seas from 2012 to 2014. His most recent arrest occurred on the John Paul DeJoria in Greenland as his ship aimed to intercept Japan’s new whaling vessel in the North Pacific, according to his foundation.