The environmental activist Paul Waston was apprehended in Greenland.

Arrest of Paul Watson in Greenland

The Greenland police have arrested Paul Watson, a renowned Canadian environmental activist known for his opposition to whale hunting and targeted by an international arrest warrant issued by Japan, as announced by his foundation and the relevant authorities on Sunday, July 21.

Arrest Circumstances and Present Situation

Watson was arrested on his ship, which had just docked in Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, to refuel in preparation for “intercepting” Japan’s new whaling factory ship in the North Pacific, according to a statement by the Captain Paul Watson Foundation (CPWF).


Legal Proceedings and Controversies

A video posted by CPWF on social media shows officers handcuffing Watson on the deck of the ship John-Paul-DeJoria, then placing him inside a police van before taking him away. He is set to appear before a court in Greenland to determine his detention “before deciding whether he should be extradited to Japan,” stated the Greenland police in a release. Watson, the founder of Sea Shepherd and CPWF, has stirred controversy with his direct confrontational tactics against whaling vessels at sea.

Japanese Response and Future Plans

The Japanese government has not reacted to Watson’s arrest. The Japanese coast guard spokesperson mentioned that they will “continue to take appropriate actions in coordination with the relevant entities”. Watson’s foundation ship was heading towards the Northwest Passage, a maritime route linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Canadian Arctic, as part of their campaign to intercept the newly built whaling ship Kangei-Maru in the North Pacific.

Background on Japan’s Whaling Activities

Japan justifies whaling as a matter of “food security” due to being resource-poor, even though whale meat consumption has significantly declined over the years. The country left the International Whaling Commission in 2019 to resume commercial whaling in its territorial waters. CPWF suspects Japan of planning to resume high seas whaling in the Southern Ocean and North Pacific by 2025, calling the revival of the red notice against Watson “politically motivated.”

Legal Issues and Past Incidents

Paul Watson was wanted by Japan for causing damage and injuries during two incidents with a Japanese whaling vessel in the Antarctic Ocean in 2010. The arrest seems to coincide with the launch of Japan’s new factory ship.