Japanese ship sails with protesters on board
Updated January 08, 2012 16:39:37


A Japanese boat continues to head south along the WA coast despite carrying three anti-whaling protesters from Western Australia.

The activists boarded the Shonan Maru 2 in the hope it would be forced to return them to shore and would no longer be able to shadow the Sea Shepherd anti-whaling vessel, the Steve Irwin.

But Steve Irwin's Captain Paul Watson says this has not been the case.

"They are still continuing to pursue us but I find it absolutely extraordinary the Australian Government will allow an armed Japanese vessel to come in and take Australian citizens out of Australian territory in fact to Japan, but we'll see what happens," he said.

Mr Watson claims the Japanese crew has confiscated radios from the protesters.

The Greens are calling for Federal Government intervention.

The Greens senator Rachel Siewert says the Prime Minister should contact the Japanese Government to ensure the safety of the protesters.

"Our concern is that they could be taken elsewhere they could be taken back to Japan or heaven forbid taken down to the Southern Ocean if the boat continues to pursue the Steve Irwin," she said.

The three protesters are from the environmental group Forest Rescue, and spokesman Michael Montgomery says the men were forced to act because the Federal Government is not doing enough to prevent the killing of whales.

"It's up to the people to stand up and reclaim our personal power and stand up for what's right," he said.

The latest incident is not the first time the Shonan Maru 2 has been in the headlines.

In 2010, New Zealand anti-whaling activist Peter Bethune boarded the boat in Antarctic waters.

He was detained and charged by Japanese authorities and held in a maximum security prison.

Mr Bethune faced up to 15 years in jail, but received a suspended sentence and was deported from Tokyo after spending five months in prison.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-08/anti-whalers/3762784

oh god man the guns...three aussies kidnapped by the deadly evil Japanese..


did they board this Japanese ship illegally????

oh I am sure they didnt I bet they were invited aboard for saki hour..and they missed the tide back...

what is it with Australians they think piracy is a Somalian disease.. what we do is just make an interesting visit just to deliver mail or something..

if gillard gets on the phone I will spit chips.

Swagman wrote on Jan 8^th, 2012 at 6:24pm:

No class consciousness - no leftwing.   I dont see any of these silver spooners engaged in the class struggle, unless its fighting to slug the poor people with flat taxes for their rich elders...

in which country?


And next time Australians protest at Pine Gap, should they be whisked away to Gitmo.

An armed Japan are committing illegal activities in our waters and our government allows them to abduct them out of Australia. Meanwhile Labor spys on Australians peacefully protesting coal stations.

How come the ALP are not watching the Japanese, like they are watching peaceful protestors?

I dont see these ultra rightwing rich brats out there campaigning for social justice - just natural justice and thats a little scary and Hitleresque.

What do you expect the Japanese to do when someone boards their vessel illegally.....These protestors could have caused a lot of damage and endangered lives by their actions.....No protestors should be allowed to break the law and board any ship illegally.....They deserve to be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.....It amazes me how people who do these sort of things think they are above the law!!!

It was in international waters mate....The Japanese have every right to protect themselves from these terrorists!!!

philperth2010 wrote on Jan 8^th, 2012 at 8:10pm:



Check out the video


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-08/government-in-talks-have-anti-whaling-acti...

Up and down the WA coast, through the whale sanctuary.