On Sunday, Paul Watson, a well-known anti-whaling activist, was arrested in Greenland and might face extradition to Japan. The arrest was made by the Danish police in Nuuk, Greenland, right after Paul Watson docked his boat, the John Paul DeJoria.
Paul Watson, a Canadian American activist who founded Sea Shepherd, a nonprofit organization known for its confrontational tactics in marine conservation efforts, was taken into custody based on an international arrest warrant issued by Japan. This arrest alert, known as a red notice, was issued by Interpol.
The arrest occurred during a stopover in Greenland as part of a mission to intercept the Japanese factory ship Kangei Maru in the North Pacific Ocean. The ship’s activities had raised concerns about potential whaling expeditions in the Antarctic Ocean.
Prior to this incident, Paul Watson had been the subject of a red notice from Japan related to his anti-whaling activities in the South Ocean in 2014. However, the warrant had disappeared a few months ago, according to the Captain Paul Watson Foundation.
The Danish police confirmed the detention of Paul Watson based on the Japanese red notice. Paul Watson is currently being held in Nuuk until August 15 while the Ministry of Justice investigates his potential extradition to Japan to face unspecified charges. A judge denied bail, citing concerns about flight risk based on a previous charge in Germany related to shark finning.
