Anti-whaling protestors attack Japanese ship with acid and paint

Anti-whaling protestors attack Japanese whaling ship

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Thursday, 18, Feb 2010 11:44

By Richard James.

Anti-whaling protestors have been accused of firing paint and butyric acid bombs at a Japanese whaling ship in the Antarctic Ocean.

Japan's Institute of Cetacean Research (ICR) posted a video on its website of the confrontation on Wednesday, with a statement claiming it is the third attack in less than 24 hours.

The hardline Sea Shepherd Conservation Society has been accused of being behind the incident, with the ICR claiming the Nisshin Maru research vessel came under attack from activists on the Dutch ship, the Steve Irwin.

The statement declares activists approached the Nisshin Maru and started firing numerous acid and paint projectiles with launcher guns, some of which landed and spilled across the ship's deck.

In response, the Japanese vessel is said to have used its water cannons while broadcasting messages in an attempt to prevent the continuing attacks.

Watch footage of the incident

The Institute of Cetacean Research said it "strongly condemns" Sea Shepherd's "dangerous and violent actions" carried out against Japan's whale research vessels and crews.

"The ICR urges again the Netherlands (the Steve Irwin's flag state), Australia (the de facto home port country to the Steve Irwin), and all other related countries to take every means available to prevent the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society illegal and violent actions," the statement declares.

"The ICR strongly requests that these countries observe their international obligations and deal with the Sea Shepherd in a strict and objective manner."

The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's Australian director Jeff Hanson though said activist would not stop until the Japanese end their whaling programme.

"Once again it's just the Japanese whalers trying to clutch at straws to gain some sort of sympathy for what they're doing, which is going down into a whale sanctuary and hunting endangered species in violation of a global moratorium and in violation of an Australian Federal Court ruling," he said.

The ICR claims its members are conducting legal research activities in the Antarctic.