Greenpeace defends 2 activists nabbed for alleged theft

Sunday 22nd June, 06:22 AM JST

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14 Comments

Damax6 at 08:13 AM JST - 22nd June

oh really??? not surprised that GP will defend their actions, besides greenpeace always use tactics bordering on criminal anyway, so it`s no surprise ta all
Zybster at 10:29 AM JST - 22nd June

So, it's OK to commit a crime to stop another crime. Or, sometimes, in order to protect "endangered" animals it's OK to endanger people. Nice priorities they have, those GP people.
USNinJapan2 at 10:33 AM JST - 22nd June

"Secured as evidence." Hahahahaha. If that was what it was then Sato and Suzuki would have had badges and a warrant. Call it what you want, it's theft plain and simple. Saw/heard on TV that the police have discovered that the two perps were also accompanied up to Aomori by a British national, who has since left the country, but have not been able to determine whether he was directly involved in the break-in/theft...
Fredster at 10:57 AM JST - 22nd June

‘‘If there is a sense of urgency to prevent criminal acts by the government and major companies, it is standard among nongovernmental organizations around the world to take action that may result in the infringement of law,’’ Jun Hoshikawa, executive director of Greenpeace Japan, said at a news conference in Tokyo.

1 - But these were individuals NOT government or major companies involved

2 - So who polices the NGO's / NPO's who decide - under GP's belief system - that they can start breaking the law if they see a supposed injustice taking place ???

3 - Since when did 2 wrongs make a right ??

It is a basic "premise" of ALL civilized nations that "2 wrongs DO NOT make a right" and if GP is to continue their self appointed crusade as WORLD ANIMAL POLICE then they should either get "deputized" by the UN and given wide-sweeping powers of arrest and seizure or at least play by the rules and norms set out by society and the governments they choose to operate in...
Himajin at 01:08 PM JST - 22nd June

‘‘If there is a sense of urgency to prevent criminal acts by the government and major companies

What 'criminal act'? The whales that are taken are within the quota...
Kwaabish at 02:22 PM JST - 22nd June

‘‘If there is a sense of urgency to prevent criminal acts by the government and major companies, it is standard among nongovernmental organizations around the world to take action that may result in the infringement of law,’’

So now, ordinary citizens are free to commit acts against Greenpeace members since they are actively commiting, and have stated that tthey will in the future, actions which infringe the law....
spudman at 06:32 PM JST - 22nd June

so if you see someone stealing something and you steal it of them, and the cops arrest you, and not the first thief. Odd that all the above poster think thats ok? where is the moral outrage at the first theft? sounds like selective indignation.
USNinJapan2 at 06:40 PM JST - 22nd June

Did anyone else see the Japanese TV coverage of the press conference that Green Peace Japan held in which they initially announced their 'sting' operation? The news network that I happened to be watching also got this same Suzuki to answer a few questions in an on-camera interview. Among other questions, the reporter asked him (I assume only half seriously) whether he and his co-crusaders had eaten any of the 'confiscated' whale mean to which Suzuki incredibly replied quite uncomfortably that yes they had all 'sampled' the meat in order to make sure that it was indeed whale meat. I just about fell on the floor in tears laughing imagining the Greep Peace gei-niku party. Guess if it's okay to steal whale meat in the name of protest then it's evidently fine to eat it too, of course again in the name of protest. Green Peace Japan, what a bunch of clowns...
sharky1 at 09:17 PM JST - 22nd June

Were they claiming it was for catch and release, and not theft?
mikihouse at 09:32 PM JST - 22nd June

greenpeace clowns eating whale meat hahahaha cannibalsm at the finest
Molenir at 11:14 PM JST - 22nd June

so if you see someone stealing something and you steal it of them, and >the cops arrest you, and not the first thief. Odd that all the above >poster think thats ok? where is the moral outrage at the first theft? >sounds like selective indignation.

What first theft? The authorities cleared the guys who chose to send the meat home. Just cause GPJ says its stealing, doesn't make it so. And lets keep this in perspective. These guys were shipping a package home. GPJ which hates anyone involved in whaling, targeted these people hoping to get them in trouble. They did it by breaking into the shipping company, which apart from receiving the packages and delivering them to where they were being sent, had no connection with the case at all.

So who was harmed? The "original thieves", or the shipping company?
Kwaabish at 01:29 AM JST - 23rd June

Spudman,

Think about it. GPJ anounces that it will do whatever is neceesary to get their message across, even if it involves breaking laws. I, as an ordinary citizen, thinking that I should prevent this future breaking of laws by GPJ, determine that the best way to prevent additional crime is to firebomb GPJ headquarters. My act is justified and should not be considered arson, right?
taj at 09:37 AM JST - 23rd June

Sheesh. Now I feel the need to go protest in front of GreenPeace HQ.

Spudman, I'm with Molenir and Kwaabish. GP stole a package from a shipping company. That is theft, pure and simple.
cleo at 09:42 AM JST - 23rd June

The authorities cleared the guys who chose to send the meat home.

Third cause for indignation.