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Giant whale and Greenpeace activists march through Sydney to help stop whaling. Click picture for larger image.
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The protest started at the Japanese Consulate in Martin Place, next to
a giant inflatable humpback whale. Protesters collected signatures on
whale-tail shaped placard from early morning commuters.
Public response was to the protests was overwhelmingly supportive, with more than a hundred people signing whale tail placards and writing comments like 'stop the whaling' and 'ban whaling'.
Holding banners in English and Japanese reading "Don't Go Whaling", and placards saying: "Whaling, so last century" and "Whale today, gone tomorrow", the protesters then marched to Sydney's Government House to deliver the letter to Mr Akira Nishino, Vice Minister of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Ms Yuriko Koike, Minister for the Environment, Japan. However, they were stopped by police.
Greenpeace CEO Steve Shallhorn said, "We're calling on the visiting Japanese ministers to pressure their government into stopping whaling in the Southern Ocean," he said.
"Australia and Japan must take concerted action to tackle climate change to help preserve the environment and food chain, which sustains the world's whales, humans and countless other species. The 'Coal Pact' meeting gives both governments a perfect opportunity to end whaling and move towards clean energy."
"Sadly, it seems the Australian and Japanese governments would rather protect the coal and whaling industries than act in the interests of the global community and our environment," Mr Shallhorn said.
In the Southern Ocean yesterday, whaling resumed briefly, with three whales killed in the whale sanctuary. Greenpeace activists were on the water in inflatable boats to continue interfering with the whale hunt, when the hunters stopped.
Public response was to the protests was overwhelmingly supportive, with more than a hundred people signing whale tail placards and writing comments like 'stop the whaling' and 'ban whaling'.
Holding banners in English and Japanese reading "Don't Go Whaling", and placards saying: "Whaling, so last century" and "Whale today, gone tomorrow", the protesters then marched to Sydney's Government House to deliver the letter to Mr Akira Nishino, Vice Minister of Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Ms Yuriko Koike, Minister for the Environment, Japan. However, they were stopped by police.
Greenpeace CEO Steve Shallhorn said, "We're calling on the visiting Japanese ministers to pressure their government into stopping whaling in the Southern Ocean," he said.
"Australia and Japan must take concerted action to tackle climate change to help preserve the environment and food chain, which sustains the world's whales, humans and countless other species. The 'Coal Pact' meeting gives both governments a perfect opportunity to end whaling and move towards clean energy."
"Sadly, it seems the Australian and Japanese governments would rather protect the coal and whaling industries than act in the interests of the global community and our environment," Mr Shallhorn said.
In the Southern Ocean yesterday, whaling resumed briefly, with three whales killed in the whale sanctuary. Greenpeace activists were on the water in inflatable boats to continue interfering with the whale hunt, when the hunters stopped.
