Events Timeline Surrounding Paul Watson's Arrest



  • April 19 & 20 Entertainment Tonight's Weekend Edition, on CBS, aired the coverage of the "Free Paul Watson" press conference.
  • April 18 Norwegian officials filed the extradition paperwork. Also, they have filed additional charges, however, details of the charges have not been disclosed at this time. Trial date has not been announced yet.
  • April 18 Dutch officials denied our attorney's request for Watson's release from prison; both "unconditional release" and "release with bail conditions" were denied.
  • April 17 Dutch TV1 aired a very positive segment regarding the situation interviewing veteran Sea Shepherd crewmembers and showing archived footage of Captain Watson.
  • April 17 The newspaper, Haagsche Courant, covered the demonstration in The Hague.
  • April 16 The magazine Niewe Revu, did a positive article on Paul Watson's situation, titled "The Netherlands Only Political Prisoner."
  • April 16 A demonstration was held at both The Ministry of Justice and The Norwegian Consulate, The Hague.
  • April 16 Attorney Victor Koppe asked the District of Haarlem Court to release Captain Watson immediately and unconditionally, or if the Court would feel there are no grounds for that, to release Watson under any condition that it would feel to be appropriate.
  • April 16 Prison authorities turned down requests from journalists for access to interview Watson because, as the Prison Warden told Captain Watson, "We do not want to upset Norway."
  • April 16 USA, San Francisco: A group of uniformed naval students meet the consul at the Dutch Consulate, who faxed their concerns to The Minister of Justice in The Netherlands.
  • April 15 CANADA, Montreal: Demonstration at the Dutch consulate, 1002 Sherbrooke West, 22nd floor, Room 2201.
  • April 15 USA, Los Angeles: Global launch of the "Free Paul Watson" campaign. Hosted by John Paul DeJoria, CEO Paul Mitchell Systems. This event kicked off an international effort to release the conservation leader. Voicing their support were: Muscians: Mick Jagger, Julian Lennon; Producer/Directors Chris Cain, Wes Craven, Richard Donner, James Keach, George Schlatter; Actors Daniel Baldwin, Linda Blair, Pierce Brosnan ("Paul Watson is the James Bond of the environmental movement"), David Carradine, Cher, Ted Danson and Mary Steenbergen, Isabella Hoffman, Steven Seagal, Jane Seymour, Keely Shaye-Smith, Martin Sheen, Wildlife Photographer Bob Talbot, others.
  • April 14 SWEDEN: Stockholm Demonstration at the Dutch Embassy.
  • April 14 CANADA, Toronto: 100+ Demonstrators gathered at Toronto Ryerson Rink, followed by a march.
  • April 10 USA, New York: Concerned citizens converge at the Dutch Consulate and then proceed to the Norwegian Consulate.
  • April 10 USA, Los Angeles: Paul Mitchell Systems CEO John Paul DeJoria and company officials give interviews to Norway's leading daily newspapers strongly urging Norway not to risk further damage to their international reputation by incarcerating Watson. They are also contacting the heads of major Norwegian companies, advising that a boycott of Norwegian products would affect them directly. "We're trying to get the message directly to the Norwegian people that what their government is trying to do is not a good idea," said a Paul Mitchell spokesperson.
  • April 9 & 10 NORWAY: Major newspapers report that in the event of Watson 's extradition, the Norwegian military will seek compensation for the damages caused to the Coast Guard cutter "Andenes" in the collision with Sea Shepherd's "Whales Forever" in 1994. Johan Wroldsen, chief of the legal office of the military high command, estimates damages at 1 million kroner, including interest. (Norwegian Coast Guard footage, edited to make it appear that the "Whales Forever" rammed the "Andenes," is a staple of Norwegian television. The Sea Shepherd office has unedited footage of the Norwegian vessel ramming, firing on, and depth charging the "Whales Forever," and 10 international journalists who were onboard at the time who are ready and willing to testify on Sea Shepherd's behalf.
  • April 9 USA, Los Angeles: The Consul General of the Netherlands met with Actor/Activist Martin Sheen, journalists, and representatives of environmental groups to hear arguments against granting Norway extradition. Consul General Peters faxed to his government a list of 20 groups that have contacted him on the matter and agreed to continually update meeting attendees.
  • April 8 USA, Seattle: Sea Shepherd Northwest Coordinator Michael Kundu met with the Dutch consul in Bellevue, WA.
  • April 5 CANADA, Toronto: Police seal off a city block in downtown Toronto where 100 demonstrators chanted "Free Paul Watson!" . Dr. Roger Payne, knighted by the Netherlands for his work in whale biology and conservation, has requested an audience with Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands this week and will ask him to intercede on Watson's behalf. . Brigitte Bardot appeared on Netherlands television, speaking with government representatives in a plea for Watson's release. Bardot accompanied Watson to the Canadian Labrador front in the late 70s when he led the first Greenpeace campaigns against the clubbing of infant Harp seals. Adam Wehrbach, president of the Sierra Club, has contacted the Minister of Justice, strongly urging against the Netherlands' allowing extradition of Paul Watson.
  • Sea Shepherd Conservation Society


Back to MENU

Whales in Danger Information Service