Paris, report
Some whales hang from an umbrella spread out in the middle of the dense crowd gathered at Place de la République, Saturday December 21, 2024. Others decorate the sign of Valentine, who came from Meaux specially to attend the gathering organized to celebrate Paul's return to France Watson, the iconic founder of Sea Shepherd. This American-Canadian captain had been detained in Greenland for five months and was released by Danish courts on December 17. He was threatened with extradition to Japan for his actions against whaling ships.
Laurence and Nathalie have big hiking bags: they are getting ready to take a plane and have taken a detour to show their support. « The announcement of Paul Watson's release did me a world of good, said one of them. Sometimes I feel discouraged by the state of the world. Seeing that people are fighting gives me hope. And these little victories make me want to hang on. »
Press point on the sidelines of the event celebrating the release of the captain, Place de la République in Paris.
© Mathieu Génon / Reporterre
A mother and her daughter, who delayed the train that was to take them for the end of year celebrations, explain: « He dedicated his life to defending the oceans, at the expense of his private life, and for that, he risked ending his life in prison. » And, like most of the people we met, they complete: « I hope he continues to fight. »
« We will continue to defend whales »
Paul Watson said little, but wanted to convey a simple message: « We will continue to defend whales, whatever means necessary. » In front of some 500 people gathered despite the drizzle, he announced the next steps: continue to defend the whales, and « make Interpol face its responsibilities. It's not just me, but all the other activists who were victims of the hijacking of the Interpol notice »Watson pointed out. This alert, which urges police around the world to locate and arrest him, was issued against him in 2012.
Support from all political sides
The captain also indicated his intention to go to Lyon, to headquarters, to « directly confront the global police organization and this ludicrous situation » and have this notice cancelled.
Repeating over and over again that « the most powerful weapon in the world is a camera »Watson therefore intends to capitalize on the wave of popular support which has manifested itself since his arrest to continue his fight against the Japanese, Icelandic and Norwegian whaling ships, without renouncing his strategy of « non-violence agressive ». « Among the 4,000 cards and letters he received in prison, more than 3,000 were written by French people »enthuses Lamya Essemlali, president of Sea Shepherd France and loyal supporter of Paul Watson.
Hugo Clément, the founder of the environmental media Vakita.
© Mathieu Génon / Reporterre
The event was organized by Sea Shepherd France and Vakita, the media of the environmentalist journalist “ star » Hugo Clement. The latter advocates an ecology that he says is apolitical and which « belongs to everyone » and was heavily criticized for participating in a far-right media debate Current values. Before the captain spoke, a strange troop had been assembled to support him. There followed, in video, speeches by the sports YouTuber with conservative positions Tibo InShape, the monarchist TV presenter Stéphane Bern, and the mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi (Horizons).
