"BLEEDING DOLPHIN" PROTESTS CRUEL SLAUGHTER IN TAIJI
Activists Worldwide Gather at Japanese Consulates Urging End to Annual Bloodbath

 
San Francisco -- Joined by a bloodied inflatable "dolphin," Captain Paul Watson of Sea Shepherd and Dr. Elliot Katz of In Defense of Animals (IDA) will lead a day of international protest at a press conference outside of the Japanese Consulate against the country's mutilation and killing of over 23,000 dolphins and small whales in Japan.


Date: Friday, November 19
Place: Japanese Consulate at 50 Fremont St.
When: press conference at 12 noon; protest from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.


Each year thousands of dolphins-including mothers with newborn calves who call out in distress as they are separated-are driven onto Japanese beaches and bays, stabbed with spears and knives, then left to slowly bleed to death literally turning the sea red while others drown entangled in nets. Some of the dolphins are taken alive, pulled out of the water by ropes tied around their tails to be sold to marine parks. 

Video footage taken by Sea Shepherd crews from last year's mass slaughter that shows dying dolphins struggling in a red-stained bay-the same bay where Sea Shepherd successfully freed 15 dolphins from a net during the 2003 hunt-caused so much embarrassment for the Japanese Government that Sea Shepherd is now banned from approaching any areas where dolphins are killed. In fact, massive blue tarps and white blinds were erected in an attempt to hide the vicious attacks on the sensitive dolphins from public view or further documentation. To combat this, Sea Shepherd has offered a $10,000 reward to encourage people, including citizens of Japan, to document the killings this year. The cash prize will be rewarded for the most graphic footage. Sea Shepherd will deliver an International Petition demanding that the Japanese Government stop this slaughter and has created a one-minute Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring Academy Award winning actress Susan Sarandon that is currently airing across the nation.


"It is a bloodbath, cruel and barbaric," says Sea Shepherd founder, Captain Paul Watson. "Each year, the idyllic and peaceful setting of the village of Taiji is shattered by almost unspeakable abuses as incredible pain and ultimately death is inflicted on defenseless dolphins."

For more information or to view the PSA, please visit Sea Shepherd's Web site www.seashepherd.org. Demonstrations will be held at Japanese embassies and consulates around the world including 13 cities in the U.S. For a list of protest cities, visit: http://www.seashepherd.org/taiji/taiji_worldwide_protest.html.