Australia: Animal Liberation protests whaling slaughter at Japanese Consulate

A spokeperson from Animal Liberation Victoria told the media that people had gathered "to send a strong message to Japan to stop whaling". One person was engaged in beating a gong 985 times symbolicaly for the whales Japan intends to slaughter this season.

The crowd was invited to sign the flag to send messages from Australia to Japan on the whaling issue. While people signed, the crowd chanted "Japan's bloodbath, ban whaling", "Boats of death, ban whaling", and "Japan's shame, ban whaling".

"It took about 40 minutes to strike the gong 985 times, the time it can take for a whale to die" said a spokeperson.

Another spokeperson said that it was a very good turn out with about 250 people present for the hour of protest at lunchtime in the Melourne CBD.

The media photographers and TV camera crews lapped it up - effective street theatre for a 10 second news burst.

Greenpeace and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society are both hunting the Japanese whaling fleet intending to disrupt the slaughter if they can. Australia has sent a Fisheries patrol ice breaker for surveillance of the Japanese whaling to document details for possible legal action. The Australian Government is refusing to give any details about whether they have located the fleet.

"It is obvious that Japan is exerting intense pressure on Australia to do very little. For the Rudd government it appears that the policy is to present the appearance of aggressively opposing illegal whaling to satisfy the domestic pressure to end whaling but at the same to do very little in order to maintain a cordial trade relationship with Japan," said Sea Shepherd Executive Director Kim McCoy.

The Sea Shepherd repairs necessitated parts being flown in from Europe and installed which delayed their departure from Melbourne until late on New Years day - but departing with both engines operational giving the Steve Irwin the capability of catching the whaling ships if they can be found.

Lone New Zealand yachtsman David Taylor is also heading for the southern Ocean whale sanctuary to make his protest against whaling. He is at 42.12"S 153.44"E in the Tasman Sea heading for Hobart to take on fuel and supplies and make a few repairs.

Related: Protest photos | Sydney IMC: US Japan deal gives the Unofficial nod to Commercial Whaling