Paul Watson Steps Down From Sea Shepherd

Paul Watson is once again going the distance in an effort to prevent more whales from dying at the hands of the Japanese whaling fleet.

The 62-year-old founder and president of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society announced his resignation yesterday as President of the U.S. and Australia chapters; adding that he will “hold no paid position with Sea Shepherd anywhere Sea Shepherd is registered and operates as a non-profit organization in any nation.”

“I have also stepped down as campaign leader for Operation Zero Tolerance,” he added. “Former Greens Party leader and former Australian Senator, Bob Brown of Tasmania will now hold this position.”

Sea Shepherd’s Australian manager, Jeff Hansen, will also help guide the campaign.

Watson’s decision comes on the heels of a US appeals court decision to temporary block the SSCS from attacking the whalers or coming within 450 metres of their ships in the Antarctic.

“As a United States citizen, I will respect and comply with the ruling of the United States 9^th District Court and will not violate the temporary injunction granted to the Institute for Cetacean Research,” he says in a statement. “I will participate as an observer within the boundaries established by the 9^th Circuit Court of the United States.”

It’s a shrewd move – and one that was likely calculated by the group and its clever lawyers  in the event of the injunction happening. With Watson removing himself and the US chapter (Sea Shepherd Conservation Society) named specifically in the ruling, the organization’s other international chapters are free to continue business as usual. The US does not have jurisdiction over charities based elsewhere.

As for Watson’s reduced role, Bob Brown insists it will stay that way.

“He’s behind the scenes, but he’s not in charge of the operation,” Brown told Stuff.co.nz. “I’ll be every day working, as will Jeff, working with the Sea Shepherd fleet under the authority of Sea Shepherd Australia, to make sure this mission is successful.”

The Japanese whaling fleet has a quota to kill up to 935 minke whales, 50 fin whales and 50 humpbacks. They will go up against a newly-strengthened Sea Shepherd fleet of four ships and more than 100 international crew representing 23 nations.

News Link:-http://www.ecorazzi.com/2013/01/08/paul-watson-steps-down-from-sea-shepherd/

Man Arrested For Kicking Kittens Across Grocery Store Parking Lot

“At last he has been caught, I remember doing this story back in May. Lets hope he gets what he deserves; if he can do that to a kitten in public, what happens behind closed doors?”

AUSTIN — Austin police have arrested a man for kicking kittens and throwing them across a grocery store parking lot. Mark Sheldon Watson, 29, is charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals. That’s a state jail felony.

According to his arrest affidavit, on May 12, 2012, Watson came to the HEB located at 2110 W. Slaughter Lane with a box of kittens to give away. The box said “Free Kittens for Mother’s Day.” When store managers asked Watson to leave the property, police say he became angry and violent.

Witnesses watched as Watson kicked the box of kittens, then picked one up and threw it hard, 50-60 feet across the parking lot. That kitten did not survive, but its brother, Banjo, did. Banjo was taken to an animal shelter in Travis County.

The affidavit says HEB has surveillance video of the incident showing the kitten hitting the ground, then shaking uncontrollably.

Police say witnesses tried following Watson but he picked up a cinder block and hurled it at them.

Investigators tried tracking down Watson. They released surveillance video of him walking away from the store.

Police were unable to make an arrest until Sept. 10. That’s when a woman came forward and reported that Watson was showing her the TV news reports of the incident on a smartphone and bragging that he was the one responsible.

Austin police arrested Watson and charged him with a state jail felony. If convicted, he faces up to two years in state jail.

His bond has been set at $10,000.

News Link:-http://www.kens5.com/news/179335971.html

• Related:-https://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2012/05/16/kitten-survives-abuse-incident-at-south-austin-heb-video/

Sea Shepherd leader fears for his life

Conservation group leader Paul Watson says he was surprised by his detention in Germany, and has pointed to “powerful enemies” of Sea Shepherd’s campaigns.

Paul Watson, Canadian founder and president of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, in a file photo. Photo: AFP

In responses to Fairfax Media’s questions relayed to him in a Frankfurt Airport holding cell overnight, Mr Watson expressed fears for his life in Costa Rica if extradition was granted by Germany.

But he said that, whatever the outcome of the case, Sea Shepherd’s anti-whaling campaign in the Southern Ocean would not be deterred.

“In our efforts to defend the whales, we have made some powerful enemies, most notably the government of Japan,” Mr Watson said.

Costa Rica has revived a 10-year-old case in which Mr Watson’s then ship Farley Mowat was involved in a collision with a shark-fishing boat. The central American country has alleged navigation offences.

“I am surprised that Germany would consider extradition for an alleged offence against an illegal fishing vessel that did not cause injury, nor did it damage property,” Mr Watson said.

Sea Shepherd said a long-lapsed warrant for Mr Watson’s arrest was taken up again in Costa Rica last October, just as Japan’s Institute of Cetacean Research initiated a civil case aimed at stopping the group.

“It is no coincidence that the extradition request by Costa Rica was issued the same month as the Japanese lawsuit against Sea Shepherd was initiated,” Mr Watson said.

The group’s spokesman, Peter Hammarstedt, said Mr Watson was doing well under the circumstances when they met overnight Australian time in Frankfurt.

He said that a General Public Prosecutor to the German Higher Regional Court had formally requested a preliminary extradition arrest warrant against Mr Watson on the basis of the local arrest warrant and request for extradition from Costa Rica.

“In a highly unusual move, the Public Prosecutor stated that the German Ministry of Justice and the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs have the power to stop the extradition procedures on political grounds,” Mr Hammarstedt said.

Sea Shepherd is still waiting to hear a decision from the closed court hearing, he said.

If the extradition request is granted, Costa Rica will have 90 days to file full papers to Germany to complete the request.

German Sea Shepherd supporters protest in front of the provincial court in Frankfurt Main, western Germany. Photo: AFP

If it is not, Mr Watson would be freed.

Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/environment/whale-watch/sea-shepherd-leader-fears-for-his-life-20120517-1ys4h.html#ixzz1vPPdQQ1P