Australian Police Confiscate Sea Shepherd Video Footage

Things turned bad for Sea Shepherd when they arrived back to port in Tasmania today. They were greeted by Australian federal police who boarded the Steve Irwin ship with a warrant.

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They confiscated “all edited and raw video footage, all edited and raw audio recordings, all still photographs, producer’s notes, interview transcripts, production meeting minutes, post production meeting minutes as well as the ship’s log books, global positioning system records, automatic radar plotting aid, purchase records, receipts, financial transaction records, voyage information and navigational plotted charts.”

Sea Shepherd said they believe the action was taken after intense diplomatic pressure on Australia from Japan, which faced international criticism stemming from the last season of Animal Planet’s Whale Wars television show. Surely they’d love to prevent the second season from airing.

“It’s a very one-sided affair,” said Captain Watson. “The Japanese ships have not been boarded by the Australian Federal Police; they have not had their video and navigational data confiscated. They have not been questioned nor will they be, yet they violently attacked my ship and crew in the Southern Ocean. Does the law only go to bat for those who destroy nature’s creation?”

Photo Credit: Sea Shepherd

9 thoughts on “Australian Police Confiscate Sea Shepherd Video Footage”

  1. dude seriously, can these water cannons even do any serious damage? u can see the water breaking away in the wind and falling into the ocean before it even reaches either ship everytime too, and on every preview, seriously ive watched this show a few times and nothing happens every time, very frustrating.

  2. Yeah it’s terrible that the “research” vessels of the Japanese are whaling in a preserve. It wouldn’t be a problem if they would just whale in their own seas, but violating an internationally protected area should not just be swept under the rug. GO FISH IN YOUR OWN WATERS JAPAN!!!! I may like your country, but this is one thing that needs to change!!!!! Although the Sea Shepard’s methods do need a little re-working, I still support anti-whaling in protected areas.

  3. Sea Shepherd blames the Japanese whaling ships of ramming his ship, if he is telling the truth, the confiscated videos will help him.

  4. Yes, what COULD the AFP be thinking! I mean, upholding the LAW! Come on!!!!!! What IS the world coming to! There is ONLY the small matter of SS RAMMING another ship in International waters. Where DOES the Australian Government get off upholding their responsibilities to enforce the LAW!

  5. Fascist,illeagal and completely out of line. I know Australia is pretty much right wing as they come, but I don’t think GW Bush would have gone to these extremes! This shows you what extremes the Japanese will go to, so they can be left alone to slaughter the most incredible, peaceful creatures on this planet. All for the almighty, BIG BUCK. The greedy slimebags in this world will burn when their time comes. Go get em Sea Shepherd!!!!

  6. That what happens when you ram another ship!!! They have to follow the law. Take your car and ram someone you to will go to jail!!!!!

  7. THIS IS AWFUL!!! THIS IS COMPLETELY UN-DEMOCRATIC!!! WHERE IS JUSTICE!!!

    These things should not be allowed, its organized crime.

    Go Sea Shepherd!

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