Japanese whalers clash with Friday Harbor-based activists

Japanese whalers clash with Friday Harbor-based activists

In this photo released by The Institute of Cetacean Research, anti-whaling activists aboard the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship throw glass bottles purportedly containing butyric acid and other substance towards the Japanese whaling factory ship Nisshin Maru in Antarctic waters Friday, March 7, 2008.

Story Published: Mar 7, 2008 at 5:38 PM PDT

Story Updated: Mar 7, 2008 at 11:21 PM PDT

By Associated Press

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TOKYO (AP) - The Japanese coast guard says the crew of a whale-processing ship clashed with anti-whaling activists from the Friday Harbor-based Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.

It happened in the Antarctic Ocean, 1,800 miles south-southwest of Melbourne.

The captain of the anti-while ship, Paul Watson, says he was shot, but saved by a Kevlar vest.

Japan denies a shot was fired. The coast guard says the crew of the whaling ship, Nisshin Maru, threw stun grenades after the activists threw rotten butter, bottles and bags of white powder at the processing ship.

Watson says they were throwing stink bombs.

Japan kills about 1,000 whales every year under what it calls a scientific research program. Sea Shepherd and other anti-whaling groups have repeatedly harassed the Japanese whaling fleet.

In this photo released by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, a member of the Japanese coast guard, second from left, throws sound-emitting "warning balls" at the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society anti-whaling vessel.

In this photo released by Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, captain of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society ship, Paul Watson holds a bullet and a bent badge, from aboard the anti-whaling vessel, Friday, March 7, 2008, in Antarctic Waters.

 

 

 

 

 

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