Blinding lasers, acid used in whaling clashes

[n2doc]

updated 12:25 p.m. ET, Wed., Dec . 23, 2009
CANBERRA, Australia - Japanese whalers and militant conservationists have clashed in the Antarctic Ocean over two days, with weapons including water cannon, blinding lasers and bottles of rancid acid, both sides said Wednesday.

Each accused the other of coming dangerously close during the clashes. Neither reported any injuries or ship damage.

The New Zealand-registered Sea Shepherd Conservation Societyship Ady Gil came within 66 feet of colliding with the bow of Japanese harpoon ship Sonan Maru No. 2 on Wednesday, the Japanese government-sponsored Institute of Cetacean Research said in a statement.

The activists tried to blind the Japanese crew with lasers and "fired ball-like projectiles with a projectile-launching device" during an attack that lasted 3.5 hours, the statement said.

Sea Shepherd accused the Japanese of using crowd-control sound technology known as a Long Range Acoustic Devices, or LRADs, as well as water cannon against the Ady Gil crew. The activists said they responded with lasers to get the Japanese to back off to a safe distance.

more:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34573416/ns/world_news-world_environment/

[Ian David]

1. "I have but one, simple request, and that's whales with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads

[joshcryer]

2. These whale protestors should take after the Greek anarchists: