ANTI WHALING DEMO - ALV PROTESTS 'JAPAN'S BLOODBATH' January 2007

ALV's first action of 2007 was a huge success gaining massive international coverage for the whales. The protest against the illegal slaughter of whales in Antarctic waters featured an activist in a blood filled tank holding a sign reading "Japan's Bloodbath - Ban Whaling".

Over twenty five years ago the Australian government banned whaling in Australian waters and made a commitment to pursue an end to whaling around the world, citing concerns about cruelty to animals. Yet the Japanese whaling fleet is determined to ignore this ban and is in the process of illegally slaughtering more than 1,000 whales this January. This includes pike whales, and endangered fin and humpback whales.

In protest against this slaughter, Animal Liberation Victoria (ALV) activist Jamie Yew was dropped into a clear water filled tank at St Kilda beach. Once inside the tank the water was turned blood red to symbolise the hundreds of whales currently being slaughtered by the Japanese whaling fleet in Antarctic waters. ALV held this protest to inform the public about the horrific cruelty behind the whale meat trade and put pressure on the Australian government to take action against this illegal slaughter of whales. The protest was also held in support of the Sea Shepherd crew who are heroically putting their lives on the line to defend the whales and attempt to shut down the illegal whaling fleet.

The action made the evening and late night Channel 10 news, and the AAP, EPA and Reuters newswires, ensuring international coverage in places as diverse as Spain, United Arab Emirates, Romania, The United States, South Korea and India - The photo that ran in the "Times of India" alone reached approximately 8.3 million readers.

"I am carrying out this action to bring public attention to the reprehensible slaughter of Whales currently going on in Australian waters. These gentle creatures undergo long painful deaths, it can take them up to forty minutes to die after being impaled by a harpoon." said activist Jamie Yew

"Animal Liberation Victoria will relentlessly oppose this bloody slaughter, which is taking place in violation of numerous international laws and regulations, including the International Whaling Commission (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling and Australian laws protecting the Australian Antarctic Territorial waters. We are also seeking to put pressure on the Japanese government to end this brutal slaughter" said ALV Whale Protection Spokesperson Noah Hannibal.