Posted on 02/02/2009 7:47:04 AM PST by SmithL
SYDNEY, (AP) --
Japanese whalers blasted water from a cannon at conservationists who hurled bottles of rancid butter and paint during a clash Monday in frigid Antarctic waters, officials said.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society also accused the whalers of throwing hunks of metal and golf balls at its members, lightly injuring two activists in the fracas. Japanese officials said only a water cannon was used.
The group — which routinely harasses the Japanese whaling fleet during its annual hunt in the Antarctic Ocean — sent a helicopter and two inflatable boats toward a Japanese harpoon ship early Monday in heavy seas about 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) southeast of the Australian state of Tasmania, said Paul Watson, the group's leader.
Japan, which has described the Sea Shepherd protesters as terrorists, plans to harvest up to 935 minke whales and 50 fin whales this season. Under International Whaling Commission rules, the mammals may be killed for research but not for commercial purposes. Opponents say the Japanese research expeditions are simply a cover for commercial whaling, which was banned in 1986.
The whalers opened up on conservationists on one raft with a water cannon, knocking one man off his feet and leaving him with cuts and bruises, Watson told The Associated Press by satellite phone.
Another protester was hit in the face with a large chunk of metal lobbed from a harpoon boat. He was wearing a shield on his helmet, but still suffered bruises, Watson said.
The Japanese also aimed a "military grade" noise weapon that can cause deafness and vomiting at the Sea Shepherd crew, Watson said. Some felt its vibrations but were too far away to be otherwise affected, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
I would’ve paid good money to see the water cannon shoot at the helicopter.
..and just think, they have editorial control so imagine how they really act unedited.
He has some big donors.
I thought the left wanted us to respect other cultures.
Whats the the big deal with whales anyway I know they have been over hunted but their just like any other critter
I sure have not seen not seen evidence that they are seninent
This is the reason God invented the 40mm Bofors.
Well said (if not well-spelt).
Whales = Protein.
Yes I changed the channel when Leftiespring came on. The Idiots are playing dangerous game here on the open sea.I say sink them.
Enviroweenies sprayed with water cannon=bath for enviroweenies
International waters...Anything goes.
That’s all I’m saying ;)
Don't know for a fact but I'd say it's all donations from wackjobs. Look at PETA, the largest animal rights group in the country and funded by donations, also the wackiest run.
Maybe our military could start leasing space to some of these fishermen/whalers on our destroyers. I’d love to see that SOB Watson fire on one of THOSE boats!
It's too bad the Japanese government doesn't send a Navy gunboat or destroyer along with the fleet to protect them and just sink any pirate ship attacking them, Watson and his group are definitely pirates.
I TIVO it so I can cheer on the Japanese and replay those idiot do-gooders' misforutunes. I occasionally rewatch the episode when those morons flipped their "dingy" when they tried to launch it. It still makes me laugh out loud.
That show “Whale Wars” onDiscovery channel is nuts!
They bored these vessels in the middle of the night and break their equipment! I’m not surpised the captain hasn’t been shot earlier!
If someone boards my ship in the middle of the night. They had better hope I don’t catch them. That’s all I’m saying.
A news clip I’d like to see:
And near Antarctic waters, the Russian whaling ship Ivan Rogov responded to a distress call from the conservationist ship Sea Shepherd. The Sea Shepherd had reported an engine room fire, and went down with all hands before the Ivan Rogov could get to the scene.
BTW, the Ivan Rogov is not a whaling ship.
I think we should remember and take note of the different means of offensive weapons here that we as citizens may have to use against a vigilante type of crowd or illegal police force.
Such as the water cannon, sound amplifier and funny as it sounds the harpoon gun which does not require explosives but an ample air supply, case in point several episodes of Mythbusters have the air cannon.
This is not satire, the government will take or try to take away our firearms, so we must be prepared to improvise.
Either we do this or we will become the Eloi in the future.
I don’t understand how these idiots can be allowed to impede a legal activity. Shouldn’t this guy be in jail if he rammed and sank whaling boats in the past? How is it that this is permitted to continue?
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