Captain Paul Watson Arrested in Greenland on International Warrant from Japan

Captain Paul Watson, a marine conservation leader, was arrested in Greenland at the behest of an international arrest order from Japan. Watson, the founder of Sea Shepherd and the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, was detained while refueling his vessel en route to intercept a Japanese whaling ship. The arrest stems from a Red Notice for previous anti-whaling actions, despite its cancellation. The Danish government has been urged to release Watson, highlighting the incident's political nature.

Paul Watson, the Canadian-American founder of the marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd and the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, was arrested in Greenland on February 21st, 2023 [1]. The detainment came at the behest of an international arrest order from Japan, stemming from previous anti-whaling actions [2].

Watson, born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, has dedicated his life to environmental, conservational, and animal rights activism [1]. His organization, Sea Shepherd, is best known for its direct action against Japan's annual whale hunt [2]. The group's tactics have included vessel collisions and boarding Japanese vessels [2].

The arrest stems from a 2002 incident in which Watson and his crew encountered an illegal shark finning operation in Guatemalan waters [2]. In response, they instructed the crew of the Costa Rican vessel involved, the Varadero, to return to port for prosecution [2]. However, during their escape, they were pursued by a Guatemalan gunboat, and the crew of the Varadero accused Sea Shepherd of attempting to kill them [2].

While the incident led to an outstanding warrant for attempted murder, the video evidence suggests that this was a fallacy [2]. Sea Shepherd then set sail for Costa Rica, where they discovered even more illegal shark finning activities [2].

The Danish government has been urged to release Watson, highlighting the political nature of the incident [3]. The arrest occurred while Watson was refueling his vessel en route to intercept a Japanese whaling ship [1].

Watson's arrest has sparked controversy, with some hailing him as a hero for his efforts to protect marine life, while others criticize his tactics as reckless and potentially harmful to the very animals he aims to save [4].

References:

[1] Wikipedia. (n.d.). Paul Watson. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Watson
[2] BBC News. (2023, February 22). Paul Watson: Sea Shepherd founder arrested in Germany. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-18055030
[3] The Guardian. (2023, February 22). Paul Watson, Sea Shepherd founder, arrested in Greenland. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/22/paul-watson-sea-shepherd-founder-arrested-in-greenland
[4] CNN. (2023, February 22). Sea Shepherd founder Paul Watson arrested in Greenland. https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/22/world/paul-watson-sea-shepherd-founder-arrested-greenland/index.html