This Tuesday, December 17, in the morning, environmental activist and whale defender Paul Watson was released from prison, following Denmark's decision not to extradite the 74-year-old American-Canadian to Japan. A decision which sparked many reactions on X.
“Paul is free!!! », tweeted the French branch of Sea Shepherd, Paul Watson's NGO. Its president, Lamya Essemlali, added: “I am in the prison airlock, waiting for Paul to come out. He is currently with the police and has to prepare his things… Surreal, I still find it hard to believe it.”
Mathilde Panot: “The place of nature defenders is not in prison”
“Relief for Paul Watson. Victory for the battle to protect the seas and life. The place of nature defenders is not in prison. Support for all those who defend the general interest! », For her part, wrote Mathilde Panot, LFI leader in the National Assembly.
For MP Aymeric Caron, also LFI MP and great defender of nature, this is “excellent news”.
“What a relief!” », For her part, wrote Agnès Pannier-Runacher. The resigning Minister of Ecological Transition also wishes him a “welcome return among his people”, adding that “collective mobilization has paid off. Bravo to Sea Shepherd and all the citizens who continued to mobilize for him. This is your victory.”
Marie Toussaint: “It was about time”
Éric Coquerel also thinks of Paul Watson and his family. The LFI MP wrote: “Happy to learn of the release of Paul Watson, who will be able to reunite with his family and his Sea Shepherd comrades! “.
For Marie Toussaint, Green MP in the European Parliament, this release is a relief: “Finally, the person who committed no crime other than defending the whales has been released and his extradition to Japan rejected. It was time. Nature defenders are under attack. Let’s protect them.”
The Animal League reacted quickly after the announcement of Paul Watson's release: “Paul Watson is finally released! The magic of Christmas has acted before its time.”
The mayor of Grenoble, ecologist Éric Piolle, stressed that this release is “a victory for ecology, activism and the animal condition”.
It is in English and French that Christian Estrosi (Horizons), the mayor of Nice, welcomed the release of Paul Watson, noting in passing that “as soon as he was arrested, we committed to pleading for his release”, hoping “that he will soon be reunited with his loved ones, just in time for the end-of-year holidays.”
