Veteran Environmental Activist Paul Watson Arrested in Greenland

Paul Watson, a prominent environmental activist and former head of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, has been arrested by Greenland police following an international warrant issued by Japan. The 73-year-old Canadian-American, known for his aggressive anti-whaling tactics and high-profile confrontations with whaling vessels, was apprehended upon his arrival in Nuuk. Japan resumed commercial whaling in 2019, prompting widespread condemnation from conservationists concerned about the impact on whale populations. Greenland's law enforcement agency confirmed that the arrest was executed in response to Japan's request. Following his detention, Watson appeared in court to address a request for his extradition to Japan, where he faces a potential 15-year prison sentence. The court has ordered that he remain in custody until at least August 15, allowing the Danish Ministry of Justice time to investigate the extradition request. Watson's foundation has stated that he is considered a flight risk, leading to the court's decision to deny bail. Locky MacLean, director of the Captain Paul Watson Foundation, has urged the Danish government to reject Japan's extradition request, labeling it politically motivated. Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark, does not have an extradition treaty with Japan, raising questions about the likelihood and timing of Watson's potential handover. This incident is not Watson's first encounter with legal authorities; he was previously detained in Germany in 2012 on a Costa Rican extradition warrant but fled after learning of Japan's interest in extraditing him for alleged endangerment of whalers' lives during his anti-whaling campaigns in the Antarctic.