Via a press release, the City of Grande-Motte announcement support Paul Watsonfounder of Sea ShepherdCurrently imprisoned in Greenland and threatened with extradition to Japan.
“La Grande Motte, deeply committed to the preservation of the seas and oceans and marine biodiversity, is mobilizing to support Paul Watson,” we read in the City’s press release published on social networks. As a reminder, Paul Watson was arrested on July 21 by Danish police in Greenlandon behalf of a warrant issued by Japan, which is pursuing the 73-year-old for attempting to prevent whaling in Antarctica. He can incur up to 15 years in prisonif he is ever extradited to Japan. For the moment, he is still detained by the Danish justice system, which has extended his detention until November 13.
A portrait in front of the Town Hall
As a sign of support and protest against this decision, the City of Grande-Motte has decided to display a portrait of the founder of the Sea Shepherd in front of City Hall “to demonstrate our solidarity and raise awareness of his fight”. “Saving whales is not a crime. The preservation of the oceans is everyone’s business,” concludes the City in its press release.
A petition was launched by Sea Shepherd to prevent the extradition of Paul Watson to Japan. The latter has already collected more than 225,000 signatures.
