Stop the bloody whaling

Martin and his daughter Sophie are a whole tribe of eco warriors all on their own. I salute them, they give me hope.

Here is the story:
LONDON (AFP) — A British teenager was arrested Thursday after tying herself to a staircase at the Japanese embassy in London in a protest over whaling, she said.

Fourteen-year-old Sophie Wyness and her father Martin attached themselves to a stone staircase inside the embassy lobby with cable ties saying it was wrong to "brutally murder" whales.

"It's a very important subject at the moment," she said.

"They're such amazing creatures and they deserve rights and love and a bit of respect... I have total respect for the Japanese people but not what they're doing out there with the whales," she added.

A police spokesman confirmed that two people had been arrested on suspicion of trespassing and were detained at a London police station.

Japan kills more than 1,000 whales a year using a loophole in a global 1986 moratorium that allows "lethal research" on the giant mammals. Only Norway and Iceland defy the moratorium outright.

Japan argues that whaling is part of its culture and has frequently accused Western nations, led by Australia, of cultural insensitivity.

this is from Martin:




The Japanese will be needlessly slaughtering nearly 1000 whales this year. Imagine if 1000 whales suddenly appeared in the Thames in central London. They would completely fill the river as far as the eye could see and for sure, they would lift the spirit of this country in a way rarely seen before.

If whalers then appeared on Blackfriars Bridge and started firing explosive harpoons into the giant visitors, the river would soon turn red with blood and gore from the thrashing, dying creatures. Outrage from spectators would quickly follow and the police would be hard pressed to stop ill feeling turning into action towards the harpoonists.

Why is it then, this great country of compassionate people continues to turn a blind eye to the same slaughter just because it is happening thousands of miles away? The majesty of the whales does not decrease with distance and our feelings for them should not either.

Why is the park in front of the Japanese embassy not full from dawn to dusk with people baying for an end to this disgraceful and brutal carnage? Why are we not boycotting all of Japans exports?

If we cannot stick up for these gentle marine creatures then we have truly lost our way. There will be a Court Case on the 6th February at 10.00 am. at the City of Westminster Magistrates Court, 70 Horseferry Road, London. It is for a 14 year old girl who last week, was arrested inside the Japanese Embassy for peacefully refusing to leave until the Japanese promised an end to the slaughter.

Sophie has been charged with Criminal Trespass and has been fingerprinted and had her DNA taken. As it involved foreign soil, her case is serious enough to have to be decided by the Attorney General. She is to stand in an adult Court and faces a maximum sentence of 6 months in prison. Please, if you can, come along and peacefully support her in the fight to help save the whales lives. It would mean a lot to this young woman.

Sophie was inspired by the brave people on the Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace ships as they continue their lonely fight in the Southern Oceans. Come along and make sure those efforts are multiplied on land.

As Sophie herself would say, “for the whales and the world”.